Is Abiogenesis a fact?

Welcome, robyn.

quote:

---

We may never have a theory of abiogenesis... who knows.

---

Looking at the progress that has been made over the last few years, I am confident that we will have a theory of abiogenesis. In fact, I suspect that we will have several theories.But we may never know whether the theory we come up with (or which of several theories) will actually be the correct description of what actually happened here on earth three and a half billion years ago. As you said, the observation of another, and young, planet in the process of spawning life may be necessary to finally nail down that particular answer.

---

"Religion is the best business to be in. It's the only one where the customers blame themselves for product failure."
-- Ellis Weiner (quoted on the NAiG message board)

quote:

---

I am confident that scientists will one day demonstrate one or more modes of abiogenesis in the lab, but the question of whether any particular mode was ours is probably unanswerable.

---

Yes, I think so, too. However, if several earth-like planets are observed in the process of generating life, and it can be determined that the same processes and modes are using in each case, then one could conclude that of the several possible modes, one in particular is the one more likely to be using in the real universe, and so that is probably the mode that occurred on the earth.-

quote:

---

The "ToA" may well turn out to be a theory of emergent complexity rather than a theory of one or more particular chemical processes.

---

Interesting point. But I interpreted the question as referring mainly to the earth and what happened in our own past. Which may never be known beyond a range of possibilities.

---

"Religion is the best business to be in. It's the only one where the customers blame themselves for product failure."
-- Ellis Weiner (quoted on the NAiG message board)

quote:

---

We have no reason to think Chemistry works significantly differently now than it did 12 billion years ago, at any other location in this Universe.

---

Since we don't know under what conditions will allow chemistry to produce the initial replicating systems that eventually gave rise to the first cells, it seems the panspermia hypothesis allows for many more environments for these suitable conditions to exist and so increases the likelihood that life may have arose somewhere.

---

"We must respect the other fellow's religion, but only in the same sense and to the extent that we respect his theory that his wife is beautiful and his children smart."
-- H. L. Mencken (quoted on Panda's Thumb)

Welcome, Isana.

quote:

---

From a scientific (naturalistic) perspective, it is logical to assert that abiogenesis occured (how else?).

---

I will add that the scientific (naturalistic) perspective does not dictate that we have to accept anything. Even if we were convinced that abiogenesis occurred (how else?), if all the scientific and laboratory investigations failed to provided possible pathways and processes, we would be forced to say, "We're pretty sure that abiogenesis occurred, but we don't have even the foggiest idea how." However, it turns out that the scientific and laboratory investigations do provided interesting clues as to possible processes, and so we can say, "We are pretty sure that abiogenesis occurred, and we have some ideas (foggy as they may be at the moment) as to how it might have occurred."

---

"We must respect the other fellow's religion, but only in the same sense and to the extent that we respect his theory that his wife is beautiful and his children smart."
-- H. L. Mencken (quoted on Panda's Thumb)

Besides, even if someone did create life in a lab, they would just say, "See? It takes a team of scientists using the lastest scientific methods and technology to create life. That proves it couldn't have happened by chance in the real world!"A no win situation, actually.

---

Never believe anything in politics until it has been officially denied. -- Otto von Bismarck

quote:

---

The very idea of language suggests communication. Communication between what and what? What is the transmitter, what is the receiver and what is the channel/medium? You need a mechanical explanation of that, too.

---

And now we start moving into the junk that Werner Gitt writes. Gitt does exactly this: he extends the meanings of words like this not because they provide useful analogies to help in remembering how the process works, but because the words already have semantic meaning to the readers, and so, by equivocation, he can lead the reader to his desired conclusion.It only takes a little bit of training in critical thinking to read Gitt's, er, "work" and see that he really doesn't say anything, despite how impressive sounding it is when one just listens to it without thinking too hard.

---

Never believe anything in politics until it has been officially denied. -- Otto von Bismarck

quote:

---

you could even say that those genetic instructions are "channeled" by messenger RNA.

---

Why would we say this? What insight do we get if we say this?

---

Never believe anything in politics until it has been officially denied. -- Otto von Bismarck

quote:

---

The DNA as a code is especially apt and describing the code as a language is not beyond reason.

---

Well, yes, DNA is a code if you define code appropriately to include it. The same with using the word language.Now, as a metaphor I agree that code is apt. I'm not so sure about language.

---

Never believe anything in politics until it has been officially denied. -- Otto von Bismarck