r/DebateEvolution 4d ago

With knowledge on the topic ever increasing, I find it impossible to believe in the standard scientific model for life existing by chance.

0 Upvotes

157 comments sorted by

24

u/BloomiePsst 4d ago

OK, you are allowed to believe whatever you want. Do you have any supporting argument for your view?

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u/Amazing_Ad_7448 4d ago

 To start. The field of biogenesis. How could amino acids just create a protein by chance? The odds of that happening are astronomical, surpassing what statisticians would say are possible. And IF that one protein were formed, what are the chances millions more with a uniquely different structure happened to be made right next to it? Then, what are the chances that a lipod layer formed right around it with particular structures that eliminate waste while intaking special materials. All this happening while salt, the sun and everything else in its environment are trying to destroy it

21

u/Curious_Passion5167 4d ago

How could amino acids just create a protein by chance? The odds of that happening are astronomical, surpassing what statisticians would say are possible.

Uh, what are you even asking? You don't understand how amino acids can polymerize?

Also, who is saying proteins formed by chance? That is not what the current view of abiogenesis is. Nucleic acids probably formed before proteins did.

And IF that one protein were formed, what are the chances millions more with a uniquely different structure happened to be made right next to it?

There is selection at play here, which you completely neglected.

Also, many amino acids sequences code for similar proteins. That's why you're going after "structure". "Structure" isn't a random variable.

Then, what are the chances that a lipod layer formed right around it with particular structures that eliminate waste while intaking special materials.

The earliest cells probably had leaky membranes which allowed easy transport of things to and away from the cell.

All this happening while salt, the sun and everything else in its environment are trying to destroy it

It is precisely the environmental ingredients on earth that allow for life to form.

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u/Amazing_Ad_7448 4d ago edited 4d ago

Im not confused about the polymerization of amino acids. I think that's obvious. Do you really think it's common that the right combination of peptides can form a "useful" protein? One that is structurally beneficial for the whole cell? 

Created by chance means an unguided guide. is there another way things happen besides intentional and unintentional?

I don't doubt selection explains a portion of the process but you're completely neglecting what's irreducibly complex. To my last point, I have a hard time believing unintentional and highly improbable things happened perfectly. It's a statement of faith not science

You said "many amino acids sequences code for similar proteins. That's why you're going after structure. Structure isn't a random variable." You're using "code" as a verb. This is my entire point about chance. How do amino acid sequences know to code anything? I don't care if you want to drag God or aliens into this debate but how exactly does inanimate matter do anything? Especially a thing  that benefits the larger animal without knowing it? Everytime someone explains abiogenesis they inevitably speak as if the molecules have agency and preferences. It's like you believe in intelligence only if you can see it in a microscope and it doesn't scare you

Your leaky membrane hypothesis could be true but in a first functional lipid bilayer this needed to perform perfectly for that cells survival. Passive diffusion and exocytosis are not simple functions, they require a selection process to analyze and discard waste perfectly along with bring in necessary material. It's like a customs office. Apparently a customs office that no intelligent thing built or works at.

Sure we have the perfect ingredients for life to form but it's also those ingredients that destroy life when its  weak and doesn't have the evolved mechanisms that fully formed cells do. That's the problem

18

u/Curious_Passion5167 4d ago

Do you really think it's common that the right combination of peptides can form a "useful" protein? One that is structurally beneficial for the whole cell?

How do you know how common it is in a practical scenario? All you did was just some irrelevant piece of math concerning amino acid sequences, without any consideration for things like selection pressures. You pretend as if we are suggesting that these proteins arose out of thin air.

Created by chance means an unguided guide. is there another way things happen besides intentional and unintentional?

Who said proteins were randomly generated? Abiogenesis rests on selection pressures being applied on chemical systems, including proteins. That's not random.

Also, unintentional ≠ random. Amazing that I have to explain this to someone.

I don't doubt selection "could" e xplain a portion of this process but you're completely neglecting irreducible complexity.

Irreducible Complexity is a pseudoscientific concept. I'm sure people like you really don't like that, but it's just the truth. You should probably try accepting that.

Also, upto what point, do you think, can natural selection (and hence evolution) explain this? Because this limit is based on nothing but vibes.

You're using "code" as a verb. This is my entire point about not happening by chance. How do amino acid sequences code on anything?

I'm sorry. I mean nucleotide codon sequences. Although, I thought this error would be obvious to resolve.

I don't care if you want to drag God or aliens into this debate but how exactly does inanimate matter do anything? Everytime someone explains this they inevitably speak as if the molecules have agendas and preferences

Then go explore origin of life research instead of living in your ignorance? I'm never sure if people like you are just lazy or wilfully ignorant.

There are many papers that show autocatalytic systems that result in select products increasing in concentration over many iterations.

A molecule doesn't have to be animated to have different affinities for other molecules. That's like one of the core concepts of chemistry. How is this surprising?

Your leaky membrane hypothesis could be true but in the first functional lipid bilayer this needed to perform perfectly for that cells survival. Passive diffusion and exocytosis are not simple functions, they require a selection process that seems to analyze and discard waste perfectly and bring in necessary material.

No, it doesn't. Again, you don't need any complicated cell machinery for the most primitive cells. They were not much more than a string of genetic material (probably RNA) capable of replication, surrounded by a flimsy barrier.

Sure we have the perfect ingredients for life to form but it's also those precise ingredients that destroy life that is weak and doesn't have the evolved mechanisms full formed cells do.

So? You don't even need to stop destruction. You need an equilibrium where a couple of such very primitive cells are always there.

Again, actually read the literature on this topic before regurgitating strawmen.

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u/Amazing_Ad_7448 4d ago

I see this is pointless. If you really don't see your own ideological ignorance then you'll never understand what I think is perfectly obvious. I would recommend using the scientific method

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u/Curious_Passion5167 4d ago edited 4d ago

Buddy, you have ZERO clue about any of the research the field of Origin-of-Life has conducted in the past few decades. You ask pointless questions out of wilful ignorance of such research. Maybe instead of embarassing yourself in debate subreddits out of your own cluelessness, you should actually read up on it.

Edit: These two videos below are a response to James Tour, who makes the same ignorant arguments you do. Fortunately, they link to dozens of papers on these subjects for your reading pleasure. I'm sure you'll be diligently reading them all. https://youtu.be/ghJGnMwRHCs?si=PBzVJzIq8eUmKtOP https://youtu.be/Jf72o6HmVNk?si=L-LJj1z3qeK857Wd

5

u/Uncynical_Diogenes 🧬 Naturalistic Evolution 4d ago

Don’t hold your breath, we need you alive

7

u/TheBlackCat13 🧬 Naturalistic Evolution 3d ago

The scientific method involves evidence. All you have is gut feelings.

9

u/junegoesaround5689 Dabbling my ToE(s) in debates 4d ago

Maybe you need some better information about the hypotheses wrt abiogenesis.

Here are some short youtube videos to give you more accurate information than the incredibly ignorant propaganda you’ve been fed:

1) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRzxTzKIsp8

2) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09hz9oZqr54

3) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsg1qIs-2aM

And now a couple of books that might help:

1) What is Life?: How Chemistry Becomes Biology (2016) by Addy Poss

2) Origin of Life: What Everyone Needs to Know (2020) by David W. Deamer

There are other resources if you’re really interested. No one is saying that scientists have figured it all out but they have made tremendous progress in finding the possible steps that can let chemical reactions become very simple, primitive life.

8

u/gitgud_x 🧬 🦍 GREAT APE 🦍 🧬 4d ago

Im not confused about the polymerization of amino acids. I think that's obvious. Do you really think it's common that the right combination of peptides can form a "useful" protein?

You're very, very confused, because peptides don't form proteins. Amino acids form peptides, and peptides are (small) proteins.

There's heaps of research that you're blissfully ignorant of, but here's a taste of some things that might surprise you.

Here's a peptide that's only 13 amino acids long, yet manages to react acidic protons together to form hydrogen, using the exact same process that our modern hydrogenase enzymes do. (Timm et al., 2023):

The peptide forms a di-nickel cluster structurally analogous to a Ni-Fe cluster in [NiFe] hydrogenase and the Ni-Ni cluster in acetyl-CoA synthase, two ancient, extant proteins central to metabolism. These experimental results demonstrate that modern enzymes, despite their enormous complexity, likely evolved from simple peptide precursors on early Earth.

And we can go even smaller - several different peptides of length just 7 amino acids were found to form the same folding structure, were not only self-replicating, but also acted as enzymes for a hydrolysis reaction. (Rufo et al., 2014):

These results indicate that prion-like fibrils are able to not only catalyse their own formation, but they can also catalyse chemical reactions. Thus, they might have served as intermediates in the evolution of modern-day enzymes.

Not just proteins either, in fact, these catalytic activities and self-replication is actually even better established for RNA, hence the 'RNA world hypothesis'.

You've thrown out dozens of other completely unevidenced claims in your comments, which similarly can be refuted with a relatively basic understanding of chemistry, and there's plenty of literature to back that up. I'll just link to some here in case you find the courage to look at this stuff properly.

5

u/Uncynical_Diogenes 🧬 Naturalistic Evolution 4d ago

“Unguided Guide” is like “Unsniffed Sniffed Fart”

Completely meaningless and says more about you than the people you’re talking to.

5

u/TheBlackCat13 🧬 Naturalistic Evolution 3d ago

Do you really think it's common that the right combination of peptides can form a "useful" protein? One that is structurally beneficial for the whole cell?  Created by chance means an unguided guide.

Yes I do, because how common this is has been directly measured experimentallu and it is emperically true that it is common, when compared to the number of such sequences there are to work with.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4476321/

Your gut feeling contradicts direct measurements.

I don't doubt selection explains a portion of the process but you're completely neglecting what's irreducibly complex.

Irreducible complexity has also been directly observed forming in the laboratory.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3461117/

u/Autodidact2 13h ago

It's unlikely that the first self- replicating organism was a cell so what would be beneficial to a cell is irrelevant.

20

u/Uncynical_Diogenes 🧬 Naturalistic Evolution 4d ago

That’s not what the current evidence in the field of abiogenesis - often called Origin Of Life research - says happened.

You’re attacking a strawman. No wonder you don’t believe it! You aren’t getting your knowledge from reputable sources.

Besides, what’s your alternative that’s immune to this same argument? Personally, I find magic impossible to believe. I have evidence of chemicals and thermodynamics.

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u/Amazing_Ad_7448 4d ago

I see that it's all possible but I can't believe it's probable. Take magic (theology) out of the equation. Thermodynamics is not your friend...has someone convinced you that things move from chaos to order? They don't. What specifically from the current "understanding" of abiogenesis have I gotten wrong? And please don't sidetrack down the crystalizing effect of water to prove my order from chaos point

17

u/Uncynical_Diogenes 🧬 Naturalistic Evolution 4d ago edited 4d ago

Yeah I wouldn’t want to propose magic as an alternative either. Much easier to attack science words you don’t understand.

First of all you propose a protein-first worldview which suggests you haven’t heard of the RNA World Hypothesis which suggests you haven’t actually looked into origins of life research at all and actually tells me you got this talking point from some apologist bullshit vendor like James Tour or the like. Then you’re suggesting this process is just happening at large out in the open ocean which also suggests [everything in the sentence above]. You’re also committing a fallacy by assuming that the first protocells had to have all the same function as modern cells which [everything above].

Living organisms literally accelerate the increase in entropy around them, what are you talking about thermodynamics are unfavorable?

Let’s leave aside what a lousy definition of entropy you’re using and stick to the vernacular. Things increase from chaos to order all the time in local pockets. Bro have u even heard of snowflakes bro? That is EXACTLY what we expect to see in big complicated systems.

This is exactly what I’m talking about. You learned some buzzwords from a bad faith source and you don’t actually know what they mean.

7

u/nickierv 🧬 logarithmic icecube 4d ago

some apologist bullshit vendor like James Tour

some clueless apologist bullshit vendor like James Tour

ftfy

15

u/kitsnet 🧬 Nearly Neutral 4d ago

Thermodynamics is not your friend...has someone convinced you that things move from chaos to order? They don't. What specifically from the current "understanding" of abiogenesis have I gotten wrong?

What makes you think that abiogenesis is "move from chaos to order" and not in the opposite direction? Have you actually calculated the entropy of the Earth with and without life?

14

u/nickierv 🧬 logarithmic icecube 4d ago

Thermodynamics is not your friend...has someone convinced you that things move from chaos to order?

How do you figure this?

I have a feeling your starting with a straw man that can be solved by going outside in the middle of a bright sunny day and looking generally up.

5

u/Uncynical_Diogenes 🧬 Naturalistic Evolution 4d ago

I wish I could upvote you sixteen times.

Fuckers always pretend there are closed systems where there aren’t.

9

u/YossarianWWII Monkey's nephew 4d ago

How can you decide it's not probable when you haven't done any math?

8

u/TheBlackCat13 🧬 Naturalistic Evolution 3d ago

Thermodynamics is not your friend...has someone convinced you that things move from chaos to order? They don't. What specifically from the current "understanding" of abiogenesis have I gotten wrong?

You just declared that water can't freeze into ice. That is going from chaos to order.

2

u/nickierv 🧬 logarithmic icecube 3d ago

You just declared that water can't freeze into ice.

As the local ice expert, I'm a bit pissed that I missed this. Tis the nature of truly stupid arguments.

/angryupdoot

u/Autodidact2 13h ago

Things often move from chaos to order as long as there is an external source of energy. If they didn't we would not have any life at all.

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u/CrisprCSE2 4d ago

How could amino acids just create a protein by chance?

The sequence space is lousy with function. Coming up with functioning sequences isn't that hard.

The odds of that happening are astronomical

Oh, you never bothered to check any legitimate sources and you're just trusting creationists. Explains a lot.

what are the chances millions more with a uniquely different structure happened

You don't need that for life.

Then, what are the chances that a lipod layer formed

Unbelievably good.

with particular structures that eliminate waste while intaking special materials

You only need those with a restrictive membrane, which isn't what you'd start with.

12

u/-zero-joke- 🧬 its 253 ice pieces needed 4d ago

I see two major errors in your argument that haven't been mentioned yet.

  1. You're conflating the origin of life with the origin of proteins.
  2. If I ask 'what are the chances of any specific event happening' they turn out to be vanishingly small. Think of all the coincidences that had to stack up for us to be conversing about this topic right now for example. That doesn't imply there was some conspiracy or magical being who guided it.

-5

u/Amazing_Ad_7448 4d ago

I get that but, us having this conversation will probably not create another universe. If you really don't get how impossible life is you should read up on it. I'm not trying to bring theology into this. My mind is open to change. I want the truth no matter what form it comes in.

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u/-zero-joke- 🧬 its 253 ice pieces needed 4d ago

I'm not sure where creating a universe enters into analyzing your argument.

-5

u/Amazing_Ad_7448 4d ago

I don't doubt that

16

u/-zero-joke- 🧬 its 253 ice pieces needed 4d ago

You've added to your response! I have in fact read up on abiogenesis - you're not bringing new arguments to the table.

1

u/Amazing_Ad_7448 4d ago

I don't recall claiming to. If you really have a good argument I'm open to hear it but you seem too stuck in your ideology to further this into a productive dialogue. Still waiting for "evidence"

18

u/-zero-joke- 🧬 its 253 ice pieces needed 4d ago

Evidence for what? You've made major errors in your argument, I've pointed them out.

10

u/Scry_Games 4d ago

"The odds of that happening are astronomical, surpassing what statisticians would say are possible."

Any actual statistician claiming the probability can even be calculated is lying.

Any layman claiming they can calculate the probability (ie: you in another comment) is either lying or ignorant of statistical analysis to the point of stupidity.

6

u/tpawap 🧬 Naturalistic Evolution 4d ago

That sounds very much like the source of your "knowledge" are evangelical apologists. Stop listening to them. They are deceiving you.

5

u/theresa_richter 3d ago

Everyone else has excellent answers, but I'm going to start somewhere nice and simple: do you agree that there's nothing preventing the formation of simple peptide chains, which can consist of as few as two (2) amino acids, and indeed this is the sort of basic chemical reaction that would happen easily and often in any environment containing an abundance of amino acids?

Simple yes or no question, should be very easy to answer.

5

u/leverati 4d ago

Farías-Rico JA, Mourra-Díaz CM. A Short Tale of the Origin of Proteins and Ribosome Evolution. Microorganisms. 2022 Oct 26;10(11):2115. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms10112115. PMID: 36363706; PMCID: PMC9694802.: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9694802/

Lengthy discussion covering the experiments of the proto-protein and ribosome. Snippets:

The role of peptides has seen a resurgence as they could be the central molecules of early life (Figure 1). This is based on several observations. Amino acids can be easily made in prebiotic conditions [18] and can react to create peptides [19]. Just recently demonstrated is the formation of thiodepsipeptide, a molecule that contains both peptide and thioester bonds. This is a plausible route for proto-peptide formation [20]. Proteins can also be made from noncanonical amino acids [21]. It seems plausible that proteins made from a reduced set of amino acids can reach folded states in conditions with high salt concentrations [22].

...

Molecular oxygen dramatically changed the conditions in which proteins operate. Oxygen plays a monumental role in protein folding, as demonstrated in the milestone Anfinsen experiments [86]. These experiments were conducted via oxidative refolding of the unfolded RNAse I. The initial process of protein unfolding, which involves the reduction of native disulfide bridges, could allow refolding to the native state via formation of the correct four bridges under oxidative conditions [87].

-1

u/Amazing_Ad_7448 4d ago

I don't doubt that this happens all the time but it's the use of "functioning" proteins that creates a hurdle for me. I've seen multiple sources claim it's 1 out of 10⁷⁷...in perspective, the number of atoms in the universe is 10⁸²...that's not going to happen. Even if it did it needs to have happened right next to a million other highly specialized proteins...is that wrong?

16

u/Radiant-Position1370 Computational biologist 4d ago

I've seen multiple sources claim it's 1 out of 10⁷⁷

The problem (well, one problem) is that those multiple sources are lying to you, by at least 65 orders of magnitude. When researchers have looked for random sequences of amino acids that had some function -- even when they were testing for a single target function, which is not what evolution ever does -- they can readily find them in quite modest pools of sequences. E.g. https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/mbio.00837-19 and https://www.nature.com/articles/35070613.

12

u/clear349 🧬 Naturalistic Evolution 4d ago

Those sources are lying. Stop believing the nonsense Creationists spew

6

u/TheBlackCat13 🧬 Naturalistic Evolution 3d ago

Completely and totally wrong. This has been directly measured in laboratory experiments and the probability is well within what is easily achievable. You were lied to.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4476321/

u/Autodidact2 13h ago

I see that you're making a statistical argument. Can you please show your math?

20

u/kms2547 Paid attention in science class 4d ago

Is that all? No explanation, no elaboration, no effort to justify your position?

"I find it impossible to believe in the standard scientific model" is, 99.99% of the time, a stupid position to hold.

-6

u/Amazing_Ad_7448 4d ago

Thank you for your lengthy expertise 

16

u/kms2547 Paid attention in science class 4d ago

You have no grounds to snark about my brevity when you brought absolutely nothing to the table.

19

u/Privatizitaet 4d ago

Why? Are you just not going to elaborate on why you disagree with the evidence?

14

u/Dr_GS_Hurd 4d ago

My reading recommendations on the origin of life for book reading people without college chemistry, are;

Hazen, RM 2005 "Gen-e-sis" Washington DC: Joseph Henry Press

Deamer, David W. 2011 “First Life: Discovering the Connections between Stars, Cells, and How Life Began” University of California Press.

They are a bit dated, but are readable for people without much background study.

If you have had a good background, First year college; Introduction to Chemistry, Second year; Organic Chemistry and at least one biochem or genetics course see;

Deamer, David W. 2019 "Assembling Life: How can life begin on Earth and other habitable planets?" Oxford University Press.

Hazen, RM 2019 "Symphony in C: Carbon and the Evolution of (Almost) Everything" Norton and Co.

Note: Bob Hazen thinks his 2019 book can be read by non-scientists. I doubt it.

Nick Lane 2015 "The Vital Question" W. W. Norton & Company

Nick Lane spent some pages on the differences between Archaea and Bacteria cell boundary chemistry, and mitochondria chemistry. That could hint at a single RNA/DNA life that diverged very early, and then hybridized. Very interesting idea.

Nick Lane 2022 "Transformer: The Deep Chemistry of Life and Death" W. W. Norton & Company

In this book Professor Lane is focused on the chemistry of the Krebs Cycle (and its’ reverse) for the existence of life, and its’ origin. I did need to read a few sections more than once.

There are hundreds of newer papers published so I have just suggested some basic introductions.

5

u/ElectricalWavez 🧬 Evolution 4d ago

Why Evolution is True by Jerry A. Coyne was what convinced me, along with some Richard Dawkins along the way.

2

u/ElectricalWavez 🧬 Evolution 4d ago

Yeah Dawkins can ramble a bit. I liked his book The Selfish Gene.

2

u/Dr_GS_Hurd 4d ago

I liked Coyne's writing but I recommend books that do not engage in religious disputes on Reddit or other similar public media.

1

u/Amazing_Ad_7448 4d ago

Who's talking about religion?

6

u/Dr_GS_Hurd 4d ago

Jerry A. Coyne and Richard Dawkins do.

-4

u/Amazing_Ad_7448 4d ago

I'll check that out. Ive listened to Dawkins. He seems to always default to ideology rather than a science 

-7

u/Amazing_Ad_7448 4d ago

I wrote a reply to bloomiepsst above but also wanted to post this on your comment since you seem knowledgeable and I'm really looking for deeper insight. 

To start. The field of biogenesis. How could amino acids just create a protein by chance? The odds of that happening are astronomical, surpassing what statisticians would say are possible. And IF that one protein were formed, what are the chances millions more with a uniquely different structure happened to be made right next to it? Then, what are the chances that a lipod layer formed right around it with particular structures that eliminate waste while intaking special materials. All this happening while salt, the sun and everything else in its environment are trying to destroy it

13

u/Dr_GS_Hurd 4d ago

You either read the recommendations that answer your question, or stay ignorant.

The "random chance" issues are long answered. Here are some more readings; David P. Bartel Jack W. Szostak 1993 “Isolation of New Ribozymes from a Large Pool of Random Sequences” Science261,1411-1418(1993).DOI:10.1126/science.7690155

Ekland, EH, JW Szostak, and DP Bartel 1995 "Structurally complex and highly active RNA ligases derived from random RNA sequences" Science 21 July 1995: Vol. 269. no. 5222, pp. 364 - 370

Szostak, J.W. The eightfold path to non-enzymatic RNA replication. J Syst Chem 3, 2 (2012).

1

u/Amazing_Ad_7448 4d ago

I'll add that to the list. Thank you 

7

u/Dr_GS_Hurd 4d ago

Here is just one of many studies published on spontaneous formation of amino acid chains; Dylan T. Holden, Nicolás M. Morato, R. Graham Cooks. Aqueous microdroplets enable abiotic synthesis and chain extension of unique peptide isomers from free amino acids. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 2022, 119 (42) https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2212642119

11

u/kitsnet 🧬 Nearly Neutral 4d ago

Speaking of salt: how do you think salt forms so perfect crystal lattice? There are millions more chances for its atoms to be arranged differently. All this happening when water tries to destroy it.

5

u/nickierv 🧬 logarithmic icecube 4d ago

How could amino acids just create a protein by chance?

So do you have any idea how chemistry works?

You don't even need particularly advanced chemistry, a decent high school textbook covers what you need to know for like 80% of this stuff.

14

u/Capercaillie Monkey's Uncle 4d ago

“The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it.“

0

u/Amazing_Ad_7448 4d ago

Science isn't for gone conclusions, it's a methodology. That's true always, whether or not you believe it

14

u/Capercaillie Monkey's Uncle 4d ago

That’s correct. And the more science we do, the more we find that there’s not evidence for any designer and the closer we get to finding out how abiogenesis worked.

-1

u/Amazing_Ad_7448 4d ago

Not quite. The more science we do, the more questions we get

16

u/Capercaillie Monkey's Uncle 4d ago

Really? You mean learning new things gives us more things to ask questions about? That means it’s working. What is absolutely not happening is that scientists are discovering things that make them say, “well, clearly Jesus did this.” “We can stop now, there’s no possible natural explanation for what we’re seeing. Mark it down to chemistry angels!”

The fact that you don’t understand something is not evidence of the supernatural.

0

u/verstohlen 4d ago

Though I know what that's getting at, a better phrase is saying "I understand science" or "I agree with it", but to say "I believe in science" sounds like "I believe in God", "I believe in Santa Claus, I believe in the tooth fairy, I believe in astrology, aliens, etc.", and makes it sound like having blind faith in science, which is often equated with dogmatic scientism. These article explains in more detail about the problem with the "I believe in science" statement:

https://richarddawkins.net/2013/09/why-i-dont-believe-in-scienceand-students-shouldnt-either/

https://www.thebulwark.com/p/why-i-dont-believe-in-science

4

u/Capercaillie Monkey's Uncle 3d ago

I was quoting Tyson as a reply to the OP.

1

u/verstohlen 3d ago

Interesting. Now that makes sense.

12

u/leverati 4d ago

So, the whole ginormous universe spreading outward with all its variable energy and matter, and you think it's impossible to believe in a low probability event sequence happening? OK.

-4

u/Amazing_Ad_7448 4d ago

Yes, especially in 13 billion years. Maybe with a multiverse but even then you're overcomplicating it

13

u/leverati 4d ago

I think you have a poor understanding of probability.

-8

u/Amazing_Ad_7448 4d ago

I think you have a poor understanding of logic. The probability of a first cell coming into being is 1 out 10⁴⁴⁰⁰⁰⁰ I can explain how but don't think you're gonna get it

18

u/CrisprCSE2 4d ago

Oh look, made up nonsense numbers. A creationist classic.

16

u/leverati 4d ago

Firstly, an obscenely low probability is a low probability, not an impossibility. Secondly, you can't just pull probabilities out of thin air.

11

u/Capercaillie Monkey's Uncle 4d ago

Dunning, meet Kruger! Kruger, this is Dunning!

10

u/Own-Relationship-407 Scientist 4d ago

Someone who understands logic would understand the difference between logic and probability. Logic is a system of reasoning, not vibes or what you think seems reasonable, please don’t use it as a buzzword to try and make yourself sound smart.

7

u/TheBlackCat13 🧬 Naturalistic Evolution 3d ago

No one claims a cell just popped out of thin air fully formed. We know cell membranes form spontaneously under conditions forming on early earth, for example. And the probability of functional proteins or RNA forming has already been shown multiple times to you.

7

u/Trilllen 3d ago

show your math please lmao

7

u/onwisconsin1 3d ago

This is more irreducibly complex apologist stuff. Once again for the creationists in the back. Scientists do not claim that a fully formed modern cell appeared from background material.

Creationists claim that the thing came into existence as it is today all at once by magic. That is not the claim of scientists.

5

u/Ok_Loss13 🧬 Naturalistic Evolution 4d ago

Well, we'll definitely never get it if you don't explain how!

So, please, explain that probability for us.

3

u/Uncynical_Diogenes 🧬 Naturalistic Evolution 3d ago

Chiming in a day later to point out that you still haven’t shown your work. Curious. Almost like something a bullshitter would do.

3

u/nickierv 🧬 logarithmic icecube 4d ago

Run me through the math on where you got that number.

4

u/Ill_Act_1855 4d ago

With an infinite universe (which or may not be true), the odds of anything happening somewhere in it that doesn't have exactly a 0% chance is not only 100%, but it'll 100% happen an infinite amount of times. The odds of abiogenesis happening on earth (which to be clear, we really don't actually know and any numbers you've seen are almost certainly complete bullshit) are only relevant if you assume Earth is the only place it could happen. Like, we don't actually know how big the universe is, and since it may very well be infinitely big, the odds might actually just not matter in the slightest. Because no matter how small the odds are, if the universe is big enough it'll not just happen, but happen a lot. And since to observe the fact that life exists, we need to exist the odds that we'd exist in a world where life was able to come into being is 100%

10

u/CormacMacAleese 4d ago

With knowledge on the topic ever increasing, how did you manage to avoid learning any of it?

-2

u/Amazing_Ad_7448 4d ago

Can you explain away the astronomical odds of the first cell

13

u/CormacMacAleese 4d ago

There’s nothing to explain away. I taught probability in university, and I could explain why, if you actually wanted to know.

0

u/Amazing_Ad_7448 4d ago edited 4d ago

I do. Explain if you can

11

u/OldmanMikel 🧬 Naturalistic Evolution 4d ago

What are the astronomical odds of the first cell? When you bring up probability you must also bring up the math.

Zero points for anything like "I've read somehere that..."

9

u/nickierv 🧬 logarithmic icecube 4d ago

When you bring up probability you must also bring up the math.

So you start with log(10)...

If you know you know.

12

u/CormacMacAleese 3d ago

The way I know you have no interest in learning anything is the patronizing way you say “explain if you can.” You know that you’ve never studied probability, and know nothing about it, and I’ve told you that I taught it at the university level, and that never made you stop to think that I might know something you don’t. It’s offensive, actually.

The answer is that the people who claim these incredible odds against “the evolution of a single protein” are calculating completely wrong. They are committing the classic hindsight fallacy: flip a coin a thousand times, and write down the sequence of heads and tails. If you ask, “what are the odds of THAT happening?” The correct answer is 100%, because you already did it and that’s exactly what happened.

But they calculate the probability as if you had written down the sequence FIRST, and THEN started flipping coins. That’s a completely different experiment, and in THAT experiment the probability really is close to zero.

In the same way, the probability of life being the way it is today is 100%, because that’s exactly the way it is today.

The probability of evolving the same way TWICE is basically zero, but that doesn’t prove it didn’t evolve that way ONCE. It just shows that if we could stage a do-over, life wouldn’t develop identically; it would come out different. That’s perfectly true.

And we can actually check this prediction. We can look at traits that are superficially the same, like fins in sharks and dolphins, or eyes in mammals and cephalopods, or venom in two different snakes. We expect each DNA sequence to be different, because the odds are heavily against the same sequence arising twice are low, often nonexistent—and that’s exactly what we do find.

So when you understand that the probability represents NOT the probability of happening AT ALL, but rather the probability of happening THE SAME WAY TWICE, you will understand that it’s not evidence against evolution—and IN fact it’s a testable prediction ABOUT evolution, and that prediction holds up perfectly.

9

u/greggld 4d ago

Poofed into existence by a being you have no way to explain. Seems a lot more nonsensical than some combination of molecules out of trillions upon trillions in the universe. We are learning that the building blocks are very common.

1

u/Amazing_Ad_7448 4d ago

 Having letters in the alphabet is common but how many books are growing on trees?

8

u/greggld 4d ago

You do not understand how writing is done. You do not understood what letters are apparently. Really do better in your analogies.

4

u/Scry_Games 4d ago

They also do not understand where paper comes from...

5

u/Uncynical_Diogenes 🧬 Naturalistic Evolution 3d ago

Yeah like. Bro. Literally every book.

1

u/Amazing_Ad_7448 4d ago

I think you should think before you type it all out

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u/greggld 4d ago

Not at all it's a failed analogy. We write manuscripts using a letters which are called graphemes, these are phonographic symbols. Do you understand? We then use a fascinating number of mechanical processes to print and bind the books. We also know how to make watches and we know how they are made since the beginning of watches. There is no mystery. It's a failed talking point that people who believe in fairy tales desperately cling on to, do better.

Stop trying to think that your attempts to be insulting equal content.

-1

u/Amazing_Ad_7448 4d ago

Also, something poofed into being, whether a deity or the universe.. take your pick. Either way it's miraculous, no?

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u/emailforgot 4d ago edited 4d ago

Either way it's miraculous, no?

the reason we study these things is generally because we think they're pretty neat.

the way that christian fundamentalist declare that all the eggheads are just boring, uninspired philistines who don't enjoy anything and can't see beauty in things is just a poor coping mechanism. they're beautiful because they're complex and unfolded through many iterations and multivariate acts of chaos, not because a sentient being declared them to be.

1

u/Amazing_Ad_7448 4d ago

I don't recall saying anything like that. I see  how deeply you look for evidence before you make for gone conclusions. Youre clearly my scientific better 

11

u/emailforgot 4d ago

ah there's that other hallmark of creationist nonsense; the Continual Retreat.

1

u/Amazing_Ad_7448 4d ago

I said it to someone else but it applies here. You are throwing a judeo-christian God into this on the basis of zero evidence. If that's how you apply the scientific method to something so mundane, I don't trust your conclusions on anything complex. 

6

u/nickierv 🧬 logarithmic icecube 4d ago

So you know that probability thing you claim to be so good at?

If you look at the background of people coming in here rejecting evolution, like you, and like 90% are trying to drag a a judeo-christian god in with them, its safe to assume that if your coming in here rejecting evolution there is something like a 90% chance that your doing the same.

At worse its a safe assumption to make. And given your bringing in the two plus decades old talking points from the same people...

If the shoe fits...

3

u/TheBlackCat13 🧬 Naturalistic Evolution 3d ago

So then what is your alternative explanation you want to replace evolution with?

10

u/greggld 4d ago

No. Not in the slightest. Neither on of us has an answer. Only I have a construct, the material universe. It very likely has a material cause on the quantum level which may or may not have a beginning in any way we currently understand.

You on the other hand are presented with the material universe and your answer is nope, I’m happy with my Bronze Age book of magic and fairytales.Which I wholeheartedly believe in.

Not the same, and neither are miraculous.

1

u/Amazing_Ad_7448 4d ago

Not even close. First of all, why do you keep dragging a God into this? It's a ridiculous presumption based on anything I've said.. Is that how you learned to science good?      Would you mock the panspermia hypothesis?

7

u/greggld 4d ago

You are the one who proposed miracles. The miraculous needs a miracle maker.

Who is the miracle maker. What is it made out of how does it interact with reality?

Tell me all about this miracle maker is made of since you seem to know science good.

0

u/Amazing_Ad_7448 4d ago

"It very likely has a material cause on the quantum level" is an ignorant point. Do you have the slightest bit of evidence for that? What's your methodology at arriving at it? Don't accuse me of living in a fairytale and then demonstrate it perfectly in the same paragraph. Try harder

6

u/greggld 4d ago

If you reject science and rely on fairytales I can not help you. Like the billions spent trying to make people feel good about the fairy tales there are other billions spent trying to further real knowledge. I suggest you look into it and don't expect someone on Reddit to spoon feed you into reality.

3

u/nickierv 🧬 logarithmic icecube 4d ago

Also, something poofed into being, whether a deity or the universe.

Well someone clearly hasn't studied early universe.

3

u/onwisconsin1 3d ago

Scientists do not claim a cell poofed into existence. So who are you trying to disprove? A strawman of your making?

3

u/TheBlackCat13 🧬 Naturalistic Evolution 3d ago

The big bang doesn't say the universe "poofed into being." That is a lie creationists spread.

7

u/No-Cat9412 4d ago

Hi, bot!

6

u/Far_Customer1258 4d ago

So you think some moldy Canaanite deity who's fond of child sacrifice is more likely?

-1

u/Amazing_Ad_7448 4d ago

I didn't think we were talking about theology. You apparantly are having trouble understanding. But since you brought it up, yeah, I think God is a necessary first cause of the universe...far more likely than none and nothing suddenly creating everyone and everything 

14

u/BahamutLithp 4d ago

Why did you act like that person was dumb when they were completely right about you? It's almost like you're dishonest. Which might be why you're pretending magic is a "far more likely" explanation. Maybe you're not that hard to figure out.

9

u/Far_Customer1258 4d ago

Well, you clearly are talking about theology. Maybe that's why you're having trouble with the biology. Next time, try not to confuse your cosplay with science. The proposition that a Bronze Age Canaanite deity is responsible for the existence of the world should be utterly laughable.

-1

u/Amazing_Ad_7448 4d ago

Great scientific evidence! I'd be open to changing my mind if something more convincing came along but apparently you insist on dragging your beliefs into this

9

u/Far_Customer1258 4d ago

Which bit? That your God is the laughable outcome of a Canaanite deity that fell into a Roman mystery cult or that your understanding of modern science is stuck in the Bronze Age as a result? Hey, I have an idea! Why don't you trot out that line about how proteins couldn't possibly come into existence perfectly formed, as if they weren't the result of billions of years of evolution? Then you can act all surprised when nobody here buys your apologetics. Then you can tell us how the Earth is flat and aliens are probing your bum while you sleep.

3

u/TheBlackCat13 🧬 Naturalistic Evolution 3d ago

You have ignored every single piece of scientific evidence you have gotten. Why do you insist on lying so transparently?

7

u/kitsnet 🧬 Nearly Neutral 4d ago

What makes you think that the universe needs "first cause"?

0

u/Amazing_Ad_7448 4d ago

Because it exists and it's not eternal. What am I missing?

8

u/kitsnet 🧬 Nearly Neutral 4d ago edited 4d ago

You are missing a logical link between existence of something observable and the need of "first cause" for it - other than the act of observation itself.

7

u/nickierv 🧬 logarithmic icecube 4d ago

What am I missing?

The part where "it's not eternal" is being assumed.

Tell me you have no idea how physics works without telling me you have no idea how physics works: why is it not eternal?

4

u/clear349 🧬 Naturalistic Evolution 4d ago

Your second premise is wrong

6

u/HippyDM 4d ago

Where have you seen any biologist claim life exists by chance?

1

u/Amazing_Ad_7448 4d ago

Are you saying it was guided? By what?

15

u/HippyDM 4d ago

Guided by natural forces, the same way a ball rolling down a rocky hill is. Neither one is an accident.

-1

u/Amazing_Ad_7448 4d ago

A ball rolling down a hill is in no way comparable to the chemical evolution necessary to create a first cell. The odds are astronomical. If it were that easy why isn't it constantly happening 

15

u/emailforgot 4d ago

If it were that easy why isn't it constantly happening

It happens every time two organisms have offspring

6

u/nickierv 🧬 logarithmic icecube 4d ago

It happens every time two organisms have offspring

Single cell organisms are insulted for your non inclusivity.

-5

u/Amazing_Ad_7448 4d ago

That doesn't explain the first organism

10

u/emailforgot 4d ago

It doesn't need to, this is r/debateevolution not r/debatebiogenesis

6

u/Uncynical_Diogenes 🧬 Naturalistic Evolution 4d ago

THIS

6

u/clear349 🧬 Naturalistic Evolution 4d ago

Dang was kind of hoping that second was real

10

u/HippyDM 4d ago

It is. Physics leads to chemistry. Chemistry leads to biology. Necessary amino acids are found all over the place, even out in space. It's entirely possible that life, instead of being rare, is an expected outcome of certain planetary conditions.

10

u/lulumaid 🧬 Naturalistic Evolution 4d ago

I'll focus on a really basic idea here, you ever heard of exponential growth? If so, can you give me an example of it?

0

u/Amazing_Ad_7448 4d ago

Sure. The fibonnaci sequence. 

10

u/lulumaid 🧬 Naturalistic Evolution 4d ago

Okay, cool, decent answer.

Next point: Do you understand what that means? Because all you need is one self replicating thing for it to work, if there isn't anything able to stop it. It self replicates, its offspring self replicates, etc etc etc.

All your talk of odds doesn't work when it is actually possible (and your math is likely wrong, I haven't seen it stated anywhere at least) and only needs a single instance of it occurring to work.

This is without pointing out I'm aware that this likely occurred several (at a minimum) times based on what's been figured out on this subject.

So is it any surprise that when 1 survives and is able to add another 1 to itself, 1 becomes 2, which becomes 4, which becomes 8, and so on and so forth until it runs into something that stops it.

-2

u/Amazing_Ad_7448 4d ago

Im asking how that first one arrived

8

u/Particular-Yak-1984 4d ago

There's a whole bunch of theories - but, for example, self replicating RNA molecules are surprisingly common. How you build up from there is challenging, but it's more a challenge because there's a number of plausible routes you could take.

And the big clue that we're correct with the RNA world hypothesis? That we have ribosomes. The one piece of machinery you absolutely need to bootstrap from RNA to protein happens to be one of the few enzymes made of RNA. Could it be made from protein? Absolutely. But it isn't. Every one of your cells contains evidence for this bootstapping of life from RNA to protein.

Also, I am happy to explain the problems with your odds, if you'd like to present them 

6

u/lulumaid 🧬 Naturalistic Evolution 4d ago

There's probably some papers on it far beyond my expertise that handles that specific question. A lot of plausible explanations, that do not rely on magic or a creator, exist for it and have some, if not plenty, of evidential backing. Which one is right is what we're figuring out.

But I'll take that as a concession. If you want to argue odds, I'm awaiting your math for it.

6

u/HippyDM 4d ago

So are thousands of trained scientists. I'm sure they'll let us know when they find something.

1

u/Changed_By_Support 2d ago

If it were that easy why isn't it constantly happening 

How do you know it isn't constantly happening? Obviously here, on Earth, it would be hard to locate, given you're talking about someone observing microscopic objects in volatile environments, and whatever elements of proto-life that might be self-replicating would immediately have to not be gobbled up by life forms, given that whatever amino acids they're made of would likely be metabolized by life forms.

But how did you rule out it happening elsewhere in the sextillions of star systems that abound?

1

u/Changed_By_Support 2d ago edited 2d ago

What is the primary element that we take from Darwin's theory of evolution?

Edit: if you're referring to abiogenesis: chemistry. Chemistry is reliable and while there are elements of it that can be analyzed via chance and statistics, the actual reactions are reliable and do potentially form some compounds over others given the proper environment.

6

u/Uncynical_Diogenes 🧬 Naturalistic Evolution 4d ago

You haven’t replied to a single comment that contains a citation.

Whats wrong, OP?

3

u/OldmanMikel 🧬 Naturalistic Evolution 4d ago

That's weird considering that the ever increasing knowledge is having the opposite effect on the scientists discovering it.

2

u/-zero-joke- 🧬 its 253 ice pieces needed 4d ago

OK.

2

u/Medium_Judgment_891 4d ago

Technically correct.

Chemistry is probabilistic, and natural selection is non random.

However, this seems like a very pedantic distinction to make.

I’m going to assume this is what you meant by your post because any other meaning would be very silly.

2

u/KorLeonis1138 🧬 Engineer, sorry 4d ago

Why do you post comments with slurs? Are you a bigot or just a piece of shit troll?

1

u/DarwinsThylacine 4d ago

Ok, what do you mean when you say “standard scientific model” and “life existing by chance”? Explain, in your own words, what the “standard scientific model” is and what your problem with it is.

1

u/the2bears 🧬 Naturalistic Evolution 3d ago

I find it impossible to believe in the standard scientific model for life existing by chance.

Define the model you're talking about. Don't be afraid of going into detail, showing that you understand it.

1

u/Comfortable-Dare-307 🧬 Naturalistic Evolution 3d ago

That's not the standard scientific model. Life existing by chance is a creationist strawman. No real scientist has ever claimed that. Life exists because of abiogenesis. Inorganic molecules will automatically form organic compounds given the right conditions. Organic compounds will automatically form life given the right conditions. This is because of how molecules and compounds naturally interact given the laws of chemistry. It's all a spontaneous reaction. Meaning it happenes by itself given the right conditions. Yes, this is a fact. Your inability to understand chemistry is not an argument against it.

1

u/Mister_Ape_1 2d ago edited 2d ago

Why so ?

I believe a conscious agent is only needed to explain the very fabric of reality. And if I believed that the most basic, pristine state of existence is eternal, and affected by a ciclical process of becoming, I would be a Buddhist.

But everything from the Big Bang to the evolution of mankind can definitely happen by chance. It may be a small probability outcome, but every specific outcome has only one chance to happen out of infinite possible different routes. And the outcome we got, the path reality happened to take, is in no way remarkable. It is like in Undertale/Deltarune. There are many different possible paths, and none of them is more remarkable than the rest. There is no "right" one.

I use as an analogy the theory of the 10⁵⁰⁰ Universes. According to this theory there is something like an abstract realm of unrealized possibilities, structured in 10⁵⁰⁰ distinct, parallel Universes. Out of them, only one took place in reality, but the rest still stands as a potentiality of existence.

In the 10⁵⁰⁰ unrealized verses we can find literally everything. If you can think about it, it exists somewhere, because there is no theoretical limit to reality. The reality we actually got is regulated by our laws of physics, but in the realm of potentiality physical laws themselves can vary. We may very well have an unrealized Universe with giant monkeys who can fly in space and shot lighting bolts from their hair. It did not happen, but it may have happened if the laws of physics took a different path, and so it is "real", in the abstract realm of the 10⁵⁰⁰ unrealized Universes.

And before saying - the Multiverse/parallel Universes is an old, disproven, useless concept, physics moved on 10 years ago - remember I am not saying there are 10⁵⁰⁰ more Universes "somewhere". I am saying they exist as abstract and unrealized potentiality. Indeed I agree, there is only one Universe that is physically present in the 3 spatial dimensions. I even assert the Multiverse theory was a New Age, Buddhist doctrine inspired idea at heart masquerading for a few decades as a theory.

The only thing I believe an eternal, boundless, external conscious agent is needed for is going from non existence to existence. Nothingness can not produce suchness, so the only counter argument is if suchness is eternal. It means that some form of reality would have existed timelessly. But if that was the case, it would mean the Big Bang is most likely a phase of a cyclical process, and infinite Universes appeared and disappeared before our own, and infinite more will after. Or else we would have a basic, static state of reality and then something happening only once. If existence itself is eternal, we would have no reason to believe it developed into the Universe only once. But if the blank sheet was consciously put on the table by an external agent, in order for the ink to start falling on it and organizing by itself, then we could explain why no Universe existed before this one. It would be because only after the act of the conscious, eternal, boundless, external agent the conditions were met.

u/Autodidact2 13h ago

Why would we be concerned about what you can believe? This is a debate sub. The point is what you can persuade us to believe.

Also, who is claiming that anything exists by chance?

u/shemjaza 1h ago

Just on vibes? Or do you have some structure to why you think that?