[extropy-chat] Note on "Random (effects without a cause)" comment

[John K Clark]

"Jeff Medina" <analyticphilosophy at gmail.com>

> please note that no "random mutation" in
> evolution is acausal or "an effect without a cause."

Nonsense. An atom of carbon 14 in a molecule DNA decays into nitrogen-14
through beta decay disrupting the DNA molecule and causing a mutation. This
effect has no cause and thus can not be predicted, all we can say is that in
5730 years there is a 50% chance it will happen. In addition this event will
also produce a high speed electron moving in a random direction probably
causing yet another mutation.

   John K Clark