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12/11/2015

My Thoughts

Someone asked me to calculate the probability that life could start, randomly, on its own, within the confines of the universe. I didn't know where to start because what is the probability that there is nothing and then, Bang, you've got life. (I get a kick out of reading Mymosh the Cyberiad by Stanislaw Lem.)

Just for kicks, overlooking the scientific laws that are in place, overlooking the biological laws that are in place, overlooking the physical laws in place, I decided to take the perspective of Mankind and start from their orientation. This lead to things like, whats the probability a planet falls into orbit at the perfect distance so that temperatures on its surface can support carbon life forms, and that it would have the proper axial tilt, and that it would have the proper protective plants around it, and that led me to think of life forms on this earth.

One of the indicators, to me, that all life forms are advanced on this Earth is that they are resilient. Meaning these life forms can have failures of organs and appendages and still overcome. What we have is not just life but living bodies that defend themselves with antibodies and redundancies. This is not what would be called a version 1.0.

A newbie at computer programming usually codes so everything will go right, neglecting any chance of bad data or errors. An experienced computer programmer codes so everything can go wrong, and it still produces the desired result.

Compared to a computer program, life as we know it is programmed so if everything goes wrong it tries to handle it and does so very well. Just ask a doctor.

What's the probability such an advanced life would come about is infinite. Certainly larger than the time given from the beginning of the universe to today.

Think about that.

Love,
Dad