Further to “We know too many ways life could have got started,”:
I am shortly starting a Science Fictions series. To give readers some idea where a fully materialistic approach has gotten us, I went through the article noted above and summarized the current state of origin of life theory.
I took out all notes, obligate copy (title, authors’ names, note numbers), etc., to arrive at a body text that is simply the authors’ considered opinion in their own editorially permitted words. Then I focused only on phrases that express possibility without assurance. The results were informative:
The article totalled 1003 wds of which 125 are express vague possibility and uncertainty of various types, such as:
… at least some metabolites … templates of whatever sort … could have begun … can be imagined … should evolve … distinct lack … may have afforded … may also be … lends credence to the idea …
I’d be happy to print all 125 fuzz words, but don’t want to be accused of unfair use of a paywalled article. Anyway, about 12 percent and more of the article is … just fuzz. The rest doesn’t amount to much either.
You can buy the article and draw your own conclusions with a felt pen.
Nonetheless, the article concludes that “a problem once thought intractable is now yielding to broader scientific inquiry.” ‘Nuff said.
Do I think progress can be made? Maybe. But there is one thing we have to do first: Stop kidding ourselves. – O’Leary for News