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A simple mechanism could have been decisive for the development of life

phys.org

21–30 of 67 posts

Re: A simple mechanism could have been decisive for the development of life

#21

Is it so hard to believe that there's a creator maybe?

Who/what created the creator then? And please don't say "the creator has always been there", because the same could be said about a universe to make a creator redundant...

Since that argument cuts exactly as well both ways, why bring it up at all? We're talking about information content here more than metaphysics.

Re: A simple mechanism could have been decisive for the development of life

#24
post #12
post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not if there's evidence of one, no. Why, do you have some?

The existence of the universe itself

How does the existence of the universe prove that there is some timeless, extra-universal intelligence with the power to create universes? If there were a creator, it would add more questions than it would answer.

Re: A simple mechanism could have been decisive for the development of life

#25

This is one in a number of papers exploring how biological phase separation/condensation may have provided favourable microenvironments for early life development. For a nice primer on what biological phase separation is, see this (non-paywalled) general audience article from earlier this year in Nature ( https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-03070-2 ). Some other work on phase separation as a means for primordi…

Phase separation really seems to be a hot topic in biology beyond early life development too, extending at least to the field of gene regulation.

A Phase Separation Model for Transcriptional Control. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28340338

which already has 70 citations despite being published just 14 months ago.

Re: A simple mechanism could have been decisive for the development of life

#26
I find it fascinating that we have not witnessed self reproduction and evolution in a simulated world as of now. Unless we manually put it in of course.

Any guesses when this will happen? Life springing up in a 2D-Automata or something like that? What size will it be? How many cells does the smallest self reproducing 2D-Automata need?

Re: A simple mechanism could have been decisive for the development of life

#27
post #19
post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The existence of the universe itself

So the existence of something is proof that it was created purposefully?

If the existence happens to be a perfect construct. Nihilism is not a pass to spew pseudo science.

Re: A simple mechanism could have been decisive for the development of life

#28
post #14

Is it so hard to believe that there's a creator maybe?

Well, yes. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof.

The most extraordinary claim is that we are here by 'chance' or a happy 'accident' rather than a supreme being putting us here.

Re: A simple mechanism could have been decisive for the development of life

#29
post #9
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s not hard to “believe”, but it’s impossible to prove. Theological debates usually end up with the creationist position being that belief without proof equals faith, there for proof is not desired. Science is skepticism, religion is unquestionable; the two are opposites.

Religion isn't unquestionable, doubt is a key to faith. There's an entire academic discipline devoted to critically studying the divine, theology. That is not an excuse for avoiding and denying any insight into creation or trying to fill the gap with gods of course. I strongly disagree with the thread starter's sentiment

Does it critically study the basis for itself, or does it start with that 'immaculate' presumption.

Re: A simple mechanism could have been decisive for the development of life

#30

I investigated this in a simulation 8 years ago, link here and a paper in the description https://youtu.be/UVyTu3o2A9U

This is absolutely fascinating. Where should I start if I wanted to pursue this kind of thing?
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