[qs]They acquire information about external and internal conditions, transmit and process that information inside the cell, compute the appropriate biochemical or biomechanical response, and activate the molecules needed to execute that response. [qs]
Zi, it seems like this claim is desperately in need of Occam's Razor.
I read this as:
1) Cells exist
2) Cells are exposed to "information"
3) Cells transfer that "information" to other cells
4) Cells think about that "information" and decide something
5) Cells produce a chemical/mechanical response
6) Cells tell other cells what do to
Why not this:
1) Cells exist
2) Cells are exposed to a chemical or mechanical phenomena
3) A reaction occurs resulting in a chemical or mechanical response
No need to attribute the cells with "thinking" at all.
If I apply heat to a piece of paper, it burns. I don't need to pretend that the paper is thinking about the heat and deciding on a response and telling the rest of the paper how to burn.