Origins of Life

Life. A small word. But oh boy does it rouse a multitude of thoughts and reflections.

The theory of evolution attempts to answer the most fundamental question of all; Where did life come from? The theory also aims to show that all living creatures share a common ancestor. Very credible evidence from scientific fields such as paleontology, genetics, molecular biology, and zoology strongly support this theory of a common ancestor and that life arose through purely natural mechanisms and did not require supernatural mechanisms or a so-called 'Intelligent Designer' or a 'God'.

Evidence of evolution can be seen when we look as the similarities of chemical compositions and basic anatomical structures of all living things. The fossil record also shows us how species have evolved over time.

Is it possible that evolution contains within itself an explanation for its own existence? Could evolution be inevitable in this universe of we inhabit? A fundamental 'law' common throughtout the entire universe. Given the correct conditions, and enough time, and considering the structure and properties of atoms and molecules then there is a strong probability that the outcome can only lead to evolution. And if evolution is a matter-of-fact, an expected outcome, a fundamental 'law' spanning the entire universe then obviously there is no reason to believe that life is unique to our planet Earth.

But evolutionary theory is disputed, mostly by creationists. Does it really explain the phenomena we see in nature? Is it complete? Could life have arisen spontaneously out of inert chemicals based on planet Earth, or elsewhere ? Or did it require some supernatural power such as 'God' to create the first living cell and set the process in motion?

To all you Creationists out there: We all know that lightning struck a sea of organic 'soup' and this eventually resulted in self-replicating complex lifeforms such as humans. Creationists, what part of that do you not understand? And never underestimate the capabilities of soup!

To all you Evolutionists out there: Could a 'guiding hand' have arranged this organic 'soup' and directed a bolt of lightening towards it? Does the fossil record really present indisputable support for evolutionary theory? Perhaps not, and some say the opposite is true, that it presents disputable evidence for evolutionary theory. If evolution were true then one would expect to find transitional forms of species in the geological record. However they appear to be systematically absent.

Even Darwin recognised this in his book 'Origin of the Species..' and admitted the lack of such fossils could be the most obvious and serious objection against his theory. Paleontology has provided difficulties for evolutionists in the sense that these gaps in the fossil record are somewhat worrying. And this leaves alot of people questioning how a theory can be accorded scientific status when its main claims are contradicted by observations!

Or perhaps it's not the incompleteness of the fossil record that poses problems, but rather the incompleteness of our knowledge of the fossil record!

Maybe we will never have an answer to the most fundamental questions we can ask that will satisify us until the great minds in philosophy, theology and science come together and tease out the issues, until all of these great disciplines with their wealth of learned knowledge converge on the real truth, and seek out answers to these great questions of the 'how' and 'why' of life's, and indeed mankind's, existence.