"... abiogenesis ... means different things to different people,... To
some
it means, God went POOF, and a living complete animal or plant was
formed.
... To others it means, God went POOF, from ORGANIC MATERIALS, and a
new,
complete organism was formed. These ideas are in contrasts to
BIOgenesis,
which proclaims that living things come from PREEXISTING LIVING THINGS.
Of
course one still has to deal with the idea that something either comes
form
SOMETHING, or from NOTHING, and many of us have problems dealing with the
idea that SOMETHING comes from NOTHING. The question then becomes,
"WHAT something ???"."
=========
Kevin replied:
"Obviously I do not agree with his "definition", mostly because it is
ridiculous and juvenile and smacks of "I can't believe it happened so it
didn't happen."
I understand. I did not expect you to agree. But from my POV, I have the
above, from a professor in your profession, and your dissent. So I have
little reason to pick your dissent over his assertion, particularly as I
know the gentleman fairly well. Again, I hope to persuade him to join the
LISTSERV one day.
=========
My professor friend also wrote:
... "vitalism " was a widely held belief, for a long period of time, that
something in air had the ability, SPONTANEOUSLY to give rise to living
things. "
=========
Kevin responded:
"That definition is just patently false; a perfect strawman for easy
defeat."
Marvelous. Do you assert that the definition has ALWAYS been false, or
was once true and is now false? And defeat of what? I am puzzled.
Thanks for the Bronokowski citation, BTW>
Burgy
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