12 Jan '17 13:46>
Originally posted by apathistIndividual genes no, but at the level of the genome it's not clear to me that that is right. Earlier in the thread moonbus mentioned apoptosis, programmed cell death. Cells have a self-destruct mechanism, which is active, but held in check. If the cell is unable to keep the mechanism in check, due to DNA damage or external signalling, it is activated and the cell dies. This is one of the various anti-cancer mechanisms organisms have. The mechanism is also used during embryo development to separate digits and so forth. So I don't think it is obvious that this does not involve a sort of decision made at the level of a genome.
Genes don't make decisions. You are saying we are programmed to die. But I'm drunk and probably wrong.