Universe in Creation – Uncommon Descent

Extraterrestrial life Human evolution Intelligent Design Origin Of Life

If life might be “programmed into” the laws of nature, why not humans?

From a review of Universe in Creation: A New Understanding of the Big Bang and the Emergence of Life by astrophysicist Roy R. Gould: Whichever specific origin of life theory we turn to, the thesis that life is somehow programmed into the universe feels uncomfortable but also attractive. Uncomfortable, because it seems to carry a Read More…

Origenes If life cannot be sufficiently explained by matter, then we cannot really say that life *emerges* from matter. Can we?... – L&FP, 64: The challenge of self-referentiality...
kairosfocus JVL [attn VL & PM1], emergence is a systems term, by implication. Where, the more apt, more objective term is... – L&FP, 64: The challenge of self-referentiality...
Origenes StephenB @191, 192 God is the sufficient cause of Ted’s existence, and Ted’s free will; God is not the sufficient... – Aquinas, Ockham, and Descartes about God....
JVL Belfast: ‘Emerging’ is not really a word to be used in science. Despite all the non-biological examples on the Wikipedia... – L&FP, 64: The challenge of self-referentiality...
Belfast Thanks, Querius, cynical but neat. There’s no real connection to merit a distinction, it’s like asking the distinction between a... – L&FP, 64: The challenge of self-referentiality...
JVL Querius: Emerge is the obfuscating term used to magically evade causality when the origin of a result is still a... – L&FP, 64: The challenge of self-referentiality...
JVL Asauber: I’m not denying that stuff happens. Let’s call it Stuff Happens instead of Emergence with the pretense that it... – L&FP, 64: The challenge of self-referentiality...
tjguy Our universe might not be special, merely “probable”? Whatever! People are going to believe what they want to believe. Even... – Physicists: Our universe might not be...
JVL Belfast: JVL, anyone. Distinction between “result” and “emerge”? You always get a result, some of those results display emergent characteristics.... – L&FP, 64: The challenge of self-referentiality...
Querius . . . or better yet, "make your own dirt." -Q – Physicists: Our universe might not be...
Querius Belfast, How about this . . . Emerge is the obfuscating term used to magically evade causality when the origin... – L&FP, 64: The challenge of self-referentiality...
StephenB Relatd StephenB at 188, Does God manipulate us? No, we have free will. We act freely and choose to do... – Aquinas, Ockham, and Descartes about God....
StephenB Origenes: Show me a causal chain that starts from Ted and does not trace back to God as a sufficient... – Aquinas, Ockham, and Descartes about God....
Belfast Late to the party, much to comment on, but leave it at this; JVL, anyone. Distinction between “result” and “emerge”? – L&FP, 64: The challenge of self-referentiality...
whistler Viola Lee That is, we are causal agents in a way that doesn’t require metaphysical concepts such as libertarian free... – L&FP, 64: The challenge of self-referentiality...
StephenB OrigenesL Suppose you are right. Suppose Ted is not to blame but his ‘human capacity’ is. I didn’t say that... – Aquinas, Ockham, and Descartes about God....
Origenes StephenB Ori: 1. Ted is something made by God. 2. Ted’s immoral actions are a direct result of Ted. Therefore,... – Aquinas, Ockham, and Descartes about God....
Viola Lee At 53 above PM linked to a very interesting paper on “Naturalising Agent Causation”, by Henry D. Potter and Kevin... – L&FP, 64: The challenge of self-referentiality...
relatd StephenB at 188, Does God manipulate us? No, we have free will. We act freely and choose to do right... – Aquinas, Ockham, and Descartes about God....
StephenB Origenes:And God is the sufficient cause for both Ted and his capacities. Of course. The point is that God is... – Aquinas, Ockham, and Descartes about God....
StephenB Origenes: 1. Ted is something made by God. 2. Ted’s immoral actions are a direct result of Ted. Therefore, 3.... – Aquinas, Ockham, and Descartes about God....