Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site cybvax0.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxl!ihnp4!zehntel!hplabs!hpda!fortune!amd!decwrl!decvax!genrad!mit-eddie!cybvax0!mrh From: mrh@cybvax0.UUCP (Mike Huybensz) Newsgroups: net.origins Subject: Re: Thermodynamics Message-ID: <122@cybvax0.UUCP> Date: Fri, 14-Sep-84 11:02:57 EDT Article-I.D.: cybvax0.122 Posted: Fri Sep 14 11:02:57 1984 Date-Received: Tue, 25-Sep-84 02:49:10 EDT References: <282@uwmacc.UUCP> Organization: Cybermation, Inc., Cambridge, MA Lines: 18 Prigogene wrote "The idea of spontaneous generation of life in its present form is therefore highly improbable." Pasteur's experiments have also supported this idea; however it is not in the least incompatible with evolutionary ideas of abiogenesis (the fancy term). No credible evolutionary biologist claims that *poof!* a bacterium appeared by chance in the primeval soup. Current theory concerning the origins of life deals with self-replicative systems composed of a few hypothetical polypeptides. Assuming a single origin of life, all living organisms today are the result of roughly three billion years of evolutionary competition and selection. It would be extremely surprising if the first self-replicating chemical system (life) was robust enough that an unchanged line of descent could have survived until today, through major environmental changes and in the face of the competition of other, evolving lines of descent. For a more thorough explanation, see "The Selfish Gene" by Richard Dawkins.