UniVerses

Cells of Life
 
In nested chains is water organized. 
Magnetically clutching molecules
by dipole protein strings immobilized.
The sap of life consists of liquid jewels
who glisten through the fuel of uv rays
that chloroplasts imprison dextrosely
upon which all earth’s creatures graze
as life’s components recycle endlessly.
Of all the trillion atoms that make me
how many once were part of someone else?
Both i and my most bitter enemy
are colonies of microscopic cells.
Our nature is to magnify our worth
but every life’s a legacy of earth.

The one thing of which we are certain is who we are. If we lose weight that doesn’t change who we are, even though there is less of us, does it? In fact we switch out most every one of our molecules many times in our lives, but that doesn’t change who we are.We haven’t changed, even though our parts may have.

Have you ever stopped to think where some of those atoms have been before? More than likely the atoms inside you were once part of someone else. Probably many others...

Scientists study something called collective intelligence. Schools of fish or swarms of bees act in concert that reflects through all the individuals, displaying collective intelligence.

We are comprised of swarms of cells. Individual cells are not intelligent, yet, collectively, we are highly intelligent.

One way of looking at this puzzle is to postulate that there is a force that arises from the integration of these autonomous parts. A force whose strength depends upon the number and variety of endividual elements. Though it is outside our percpetion, this force integrates the behavior of its constiutents to unite them into a pattern we call intelligence.

 What is it we mean by identity? Is it our ability to think? What is thinking?

If you have comments please contact us.