J: Hi Tim:
J: Apparently we agree that
J: > > abiogenesis and spontaneous generation are the
J: > > stuff of fiction, not science.
I'm not sure that abiogenesis didn't happen. Therefore I can't call
it fiction. One can also attempt to learn how abiogenesis may
occur, and this can be done within the context of science.
What I'll agree to is that no one has a solid idea how life arose.
We just know that it was here about 4 billion years ago and has done
some pretty interesting stuff since then.
J: Then you say > The actual origin of life on earth or the mechanism
J: > by which it came to be remains undetermined.
J: > Evolution of that life is another subject.
J:
J: Instead, I would say that the devolution of all life, in fact of
J: the entire universe, is part of the same subject.
I also assume that the universe will eventually "run down." But
while it's doing this, that is, between the beginning and the end,
I don't see that all parts of the universe necessary have run down
in similar ways. Self-replicating, living systems are in a different
class than non-living, non-replicating systems. These classes have
different properties and respond differently to various conditions
For example, living systems have some rather exceptional abilities
to exploit certain kinds of energy differentials. Now eventually,
the stars will go out and the game will be over, but until that
point, one cannot easily determined how living systems will fare.
Earth has apparently taken some heavy hits in the past but life
seems to have consistently rebounded in some way.
Regards,
Tim Ikeda
tikeda@sprintmail.hormel.com (despam address before use)