Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site utastro.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!genrad!panda!talcott!harvard!seismo!umcp-cs!gymble!lll-crg!dual!mordor!ut-sally!utastro!ethan
From: ethan@utastro.UUCP (Ethan Vishniac)
Newsgroups: net.origins
Subject: Re: Creation of Life
Message-ID: <131@utastro.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 24-May-85 14:23:03 EDT
Article-I.D.: utastro.131
Posted: Fri May 24 14:23:03 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 27-May-85 06:36:07 EDT
References: <1124@uwmacc.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: U. Texas, Astronomy, Austin, TX
Lines: 27

> 
> It seems to me that abiogenesis scenarios suffer from a similar
> problem:  the natural laws were supposed to be the same, but the events
> that occurred were unique and unrepeatable.  (That is, historically
> unrepeatable.  One may still hope to simulate the conditions thought to
> prevail on the early earth and produce results similar to those thought
> to occur then.  It is more difficult to conceive how one might simulate
> creation.)
>                                                                     |
> Paul DuBois     {allegra,ihnp4,seismo}!uwvax!uwmacc!dubois        --+--
>                                                                     |
     I don't see how you can equate the two.  In one case, we are being
asked to accept the idea that whatever happened is unknowable in principle.
In the other case we are being asked to believe that whatever happened 
conformed to laws that are discoverable to this day.  In principle we
can hope to construct a detailed model of how life originated on the Earth
that is completely consistent with the present rules by which the universe
operates.  In fact, there is a considerable body of research aimed at just
this goal.  It may be true that we can never be absolutely sure that 
we know what happened, but the same comment could be applied to my whereabouts
yesterday.  After all, my family and I have only our imperfect memories to
go on.  Maybe we were all brainwashed. :-)

"Don't argue with a fool.      Ethan Vishniac
 Borrow his money."            {charm,ut-sally,ut-ngp,noao}!utastro!ethan
                               Department of Astronomy
                               University of Texas