The Story of a Clever Cell

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I sometimes wonder if I was a cell in a human body, proud of my nucleus holding DNA and other information enabling me to create magnificent protein machines, enzymes and a whole load of other things. I start thinking “hey” its all about me, I might look like other cells but they are not me and some of them do other things, I’m an individual.

Another cell comes to me one day and proposes this outrageous, speculative at best, hypothesis, that may be we are here for a greater purpose and starts ranting about this thing called the body, to which of course I dismiss, because there is no proof to my limited knowledge, calling him dogmatic and non-scientific. In fact I start getting irritated by all these cells around me that think in this way.

I become worried because I see them die and other ones are born, that I start devising a technology to stop that, and one day I do, and find a way of multiplying, and start doing that and taking over and getting bigger, only to find out at a much later time that there is a body and I’ve become a malignant tumor, about to destroy that which has provided me with all the knowledge and nutrients to live. How clever would I think I am then?

It may not be so outrageous to think we have a purpose and are part of something bigger, way beyond our comprehension.

This is a response to

DOES THE UNIVERSE HAVE A BRAIN?

9 responses to “The Story of a Clever Cell”

  1. So I read this. I would love to respond with a post if thats ok. I don’t agree much with the analogy. But you made me wonder. I think thats whats important. Is it ok if I respond to you through my blog?

    I know I don’t have to ask I just wanted to give you the heads up.

    Liked by 1 person

  4. Purpose, eh? You would rather have someone else decide your purpose than devise it yourself? Someone else knows you better than you know you? You are talking about an unknowable situation which would require pre-knowledge of the future, an idea which even the gods refuse to accept.

    Liked by 2 people

  5. Thanks for the comment Kenneth. I guess I may have been a little loose with this story, and the analogy may have assumed there is a greater purpose, when we really don’t know. There where 2 things which I was trying to communicate, probably not so well.

    The first and most important, was that we shouldn’t just accept new technology because the experts say there is no proof of harm, which is quite different from proof of no harm. Things that relate to genetically modified crops, pesticides, global warming, chemicals in food etc. Specially when agenda’s are driven by corporate profits rather than proper risk analysis to possible consequences. Of recent I can’t but think of the substantial decline of bees around the world, with no one admitting that it has something to do with chemicals we have developed, each pointing the finger at the other guy.

    It’s not too far from what you are saying. The analogy being the “clever cell” as the corporations and their huge funding for certain science, and control over who you should be “a person that should buy, and borrow to buy more” and governments that control media to advance self-serving agenda’s probably for the benefit of corporations, also creating unwarranted fear to sell wars, instead of nurturing harmony and the common good in humanity, which will probably keep us more safe.

    The second point, is to be a little more open-minded about the possibility of greater purpose, which we may be ignorant to, but makes for a good philosophical discussion. This not to be confused with people imposing dogmatic irrational purpose on others.

    Liked by 1 person

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