Re: Origins of Life; Sci-Am review

Susan Brassfield (Susan-Brassfield@ou.edu)
Fri, 19 Nov 1999 12:33:53 -0600

>Susan:
>>you need to read the above more carefully. Anti-evolutionists say
>>"Darwinian forces can't account for the history of life" (those that admit
>>that life had a history). What the above says is that "Darwin's theory of
>>eovlution cannot *alone* account for it" In other words natural selection
>>is at work here and so is something else. I have a feeling that Smith and
>>Szathmary don't think some god or other is the "something else."
>Susan
>
Bertvan:
>If they are honest they will say they have no idea whether or not "some god
>or other" played any part in the process.

If they decide some god did it, then all further investigation would be
stopped cold because the whims of supernatural beings aren't something
science can examine. On the other hand if they decide some god did it, then
they could begin the discussion as to whether it was Quetzequatl, Sophia,
Vishnu or Space Aliens. After *that* was settled to everyone's
satisfaction, *then* all further investigation would be stopped cold.

I think they want to find out what the "something else" *really* is.
Therefore they will not waste any time on "moonshine," and open a serious
investigation.

Susan

----------

For if there is a sin against life, it consists not so much in despairing
of life as in hoping for another and in eluding the implacable grandeur of
this one.
--Albert Camus

http://www.telepath.com/susanb/