Re: Plants The sixth sense

From: Betsy Feuerstein ecuador at midsouth.rr.com> on 2002.02.01 at 22:13:20(8125) What is 'knowing?' Could an answer be in the interpretation of the meaning of the word, knowing? To know, does one have to have a brain, a mind? Or may 'knowing' be seen as something more inclusive? Food for thought, nothing more, nothing less. Betsy +More Iza & Carol Goroff wrote: Two very separate phenomena are presented here. 1. The crab does not "know" to present a helmet design. only from a large population are the few which look most like a helmet are chosen. That's evolution. 2. An already evolved plant has evolved mechanisms to seek those factors which it needs for its individual survival (for the propagation of more of its species), such as seeking water, and perhaps "smelling" and seeking nitrogenous materials. These mechanisms include phototropism, geotropism, and in vines seeking their support through reverse phototropism. Neither implies a sixth sense in the sense of "knowing". Iza Goroff Whitewater Wisconsin USA zone 4b Durightmm@aol.com wrote: These scientific explanations make sense to scientist but not always to non scientist. For example we seem to be losing sight of the topic "sense" Writers want to know "How" an organism "knows" it's surroundings. How does the vine know. it's peers are being eaten. How does the crab know to design it's nodules to discourage harvesting. How did Amorphos morph their flowers to attract sprecific beetle to pollinate each species. Isn't it wonderful that we have yet to unravel mysteries. and have additional topics for aroidl Joe

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