Should we reopen the book on Evolution?

im with martin. i dont see how you can come up with a probability since we only know of life forming once.

you can say that since we know there are near infinite planets with similar elements that its more likely, but i dont see how you get anything more than that.

 

it seems perfectly possible to me that we are alone. and lord knows, i am not a creationist.

and when i say "possible", i mean like anything is possible. maybe there are millions of planets with awesome creatures on them. or maybe just us. i feel like we are really stretching it when we make claims about how likely any of these things are.

the fermi paradox is of course the idea that if there were intelligence, then why has it contacted us? and given that there are places in the universe older than earth, they might have had more time to evolve and create their contacting machines. but they havent.

i know red is mostly quoting carl sagan's theories, but those are not necessarily accepted by the rest of the scientific community.

 

I don't have a problem with people believing in evolution or creation. I can understand why both are believable and why both create doubt.

My question is for those who DON'T believe in a higher power or an afterlife. If there's nothing after this...what's the purpose of living now? I've never been able to comprehend why people would tolerate life's struggles or waste time with insignificant efforts if we're simply pond scum.

Once again I believe people are entitled to their opinion but I have a hard time trying to understand why living a ethical, moral, productive life would mean anything. I also can't see the value in how living a wild life would matter either.

Either way, when you take your last breath it would be over...forever. If that's truly the case, what does living one more day, hour, or minute matter?

 

I respect your opinion and I'm glad there aren't more people committing suicide or living for the day at the expense of others. I just have a hard time getting my head around why achievement makes sense if there's nothing else. To each his own. :thumb:

 

Because what you leave behind matters, as well. I'm not talking about one's legacy or status or perceived importance. I'm talking about the impact you've had on others, your family, your friends, and in some cases, people you've never met.

 

i approve of the word "martonian" and accept that it means when things are improperly defined as too black and white. i further propose that reddian analysis is when too many shades of grey are detected and presumed to be of value, merely for their greyness

of course. nobody is saying aliens do not exist. we are saying that is pretty difficult for us to make statements about how likely it is. we dont know. thats what the martonian analyis shows.

well, i dont even really buy that life requires those things. perhaps there is life somewhere else that is based on titanium or something instead of carbon, and there are aliens that breathe molten cesium.

false dichotomy. we can acknowledge that life exists on earth while also acknowledging our ignorance of how common of an occurrence it is.

i will certainly concede that simple life is more likely than intelligent life, although i have no idea if either exists on other planets.

 

wow that was a really good post, one of the better ones i have ever read here.