Life Only From Life?

[I_Hate_Infinity]

I base almost all I take for granted in this world on the scientic principle of theory being tested by proof. I find that structure of principles appealing, opposed to faith alone. I get stuck on certain issues from time to time but my current unexplained phenomenon is thus;

If biological and genetic sciences both arrive at the same conclusion that we have no evidence to the contrary to discredit the practically applied theory that "No life comes from no life. Life emerges only from previous life" then my question is: How could life form from a inflated physical Universe with matter diffused throughout and existing only in its most conveniently simplistic macroscopic form. Can it be rationalised in the 21stC??

Apologies for my lexicon. R.S.V.P.

I_H_I

[Buenchico]

>>> If biological and genetic sciences both arrive at the same conclusion that we have no evidence to the contrary to discredit the practically applied theory that "No life comes from no life. Life emerges only from previous life" . . .

Surely that's far from axiomatic?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10132762
and
http://qz.com/647639/scientists-have-taken-a-huge-leap-toward-creating-artificial-life/

You could, of course, argue that the genes used in my second link are themselves 'derived from life' but there seems to be no logical reason why they couldn't be artificially created from basic elements. (It's simply easier to 'work down' from existing life forms, rather than to 'work up' from simple chemical structures).

[Zacs-Master]

I have a problem with your first two sentences which either exhibit a basic confusion or which are, lexically, vague.

How can you 'take for granted' anything which has to be proven scientifically? That's not taking anything for granted, it's quite the opposite. And why the 'almost'? Which bits of the existence of life do you not need this scientific prof for?

If you gain comfort from this structure of principles, surely this applies to all your thoughts on the existence of life from life. Again, where does 'almost' come into it?

As Chris points out, I don't think biological and genetic science have come to this same conclusion. Life is being created from scratch. Why you chose to distinguish biology from genetics is also confusing as they're different branches of the same tree or at least genetics is a branch of the biology tree.

With such ambiguous thinking it's no wonder you're confused.

[Old_Geezer]

We know what appear to be the building blocks of life. As with all knowledge the idea comes first and then we await the evidence that proves the conjecture. No evidence yet is no proof that it doesn't happen. So we can not and do not assume science will conclude that life can not come from that which was not alive.

Given that life is composed of elements, each of which are not living in itself; it is an emergent characteristic and we can be confident that we will discover one of the ways it can emerge as time goes on and we learn more.

[I_Hate_Infinity]

ZM - I take consciousness for granted. At least I accept I am conscious. Science has no explanation for that which is why I said 'almost all.'

Science also has no explanation for how life started, but in Biology they teach that life only comes from other life. it is taught as a fundamental principle of our understanding of the cellular (and therefor DNA) division which allows life to reproduce.

It can't reproduce from a non reproductive chemical/physical process.

[Old_Geezer]

Maybe biology only concerns itself with the ongoing process and pays no heed to how it all started ?

[Huderon]

Chemistry and chance ?

These two pieces from recent editions of New Scientist might point in the direction you want.

https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg23030694-700-missing-building-block-of-life-could-be-made-on-ice-in-space/

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2088006-building-blocks-of-lifes-first-self-replicator-recreated-in-lab/

And don't dismiss chance - there are a couple of long odds coincidences in just my family which make me think that chance is a lot more common than many might suppose.

[Old_Geezer]

There's so much going on in so many places that chance has a good chance of happening.