Tal Bachman presented a post referencing Richard Dawkins' view of Down Syndrome abortion. I'd like to take this to another level with perhaps the biggest question: WHY DID LIFE HAPPEN? I've been puzzled by this question all my life. I still don't have an answer. Religion throws God into the mix, but that raises the next question: WHAT CREATED GOD? That whole line of reasoning goes beyond current science and throws us into faith. Having just resigned from TSCC my faith is a bit shaky if not altogether gone. I need objective, empirical answers.

To all the big brains out there: CAN SCIENCE CREATE LIFE? I'm being perfectly sincere in my question. I want to know why life happened. And by life I mean the spontaneous reproduction of the first living thing on earth. After all, what is life but the reproduction of chemicals into living, functioning and continually reproducing and evolving chemical compositions.

I WANT TO KNOW WHY? I also want to know if science can repeat the process that began so many billions of years ago. Right now I have to believe in some power or force that science has not yet discovered. When science discovers the element that jumpstarted life then I will be a happy person.


ADDENDUM after many posts: A couple of posters here pointed me in the right direction. Life likely got jumpstarted from an enzyme, which is a simple chemical combination. I apologize for being somewhat aggressive in my responses. All is well in every fiber of my being. :)



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/22/2014 11:39AM by Tom Padley.

I'm not one of the big brains here, but your post fascinates me for one reason. All of my young life, a favorite topic constantly discussed in our ward and stake, and even the church films and whatever were all about the big three questions:

Where did we come from? Why are we here? Where are we going?

Where the heck did we come from???

I was taught that everyone on the planet was obsessed with these questions. Indeed, these questions were constantly eating at them. The speakers in church then explained that the reason Mormons were so much happier, yay, even more joyful, than anyone else was because we knew the answers to these questions. They even made films about them.

I left the church decades ago. I haven't found anyone who is worried about those three questions. I haven't even thought of them again myself. Just going with what is has been very satisfying to me--taking it as it comes.

But, getting back to "why life happens," I personally cannot imagine "nothing" so my conclusion is there has always been something--matter. And that matter is inherently capable of change and adaptation.

Although you actually can make a purse out of a sow's ear no matter what they say, you cannot make something out of nothing as far as I know, so the conclusion I draw is, what is has always been. The ingredients for life have always been there. It had to happen. It could take a myriad forms, but life was inevitable.

I am not so worried about why life started. I am more worried about why one of the life forms, man, is so cruel to so many of the others.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/22/2014 10:21AM by blueorchid.

That was good. You are indeed a big brain

"But, getting back to "why life happens," I personally cannot imagine "nothing" so my conclusion is there has always been something--matter. And that matter is inherently capable of change and adaptation."

Where did the matter come from? How did it always exist? This is similar to the OP's question, "What created God?" I think the answer to that question is clear, at least for any god that humans worship...man created god. Still not sure how or why matter or space even exists though.

You are assuming there is a 'why' (very human thing to do) and then you want to know what it is. You might want to back up a bit.

Certainly Jeesus or god didn't bring you here...
There's enough clues in science.....
If you care to read & observe....

I've been reading and observing for 60+ years. But if science knows the answer then why don't scientists create life? If they can and I just missed the memo, please give me references so I can finally have the answer. This is my ultimate quest now that I'm retired and have sufficient time to ponder these things.

Titanic Survivor suggested I back up a bit. Back up to where? Again, please provide me with references so I can get answers rather than vague directions. I'm angry that I don't get direct answers from anyone. Scientists talk about chemical reactions and can describe how life happens, but they cannot replicate the process. I don't mean to be a hardass about this, but I can't be placated with indirect answers. Point me to the facts!

Tom Padley Wrote:

> if science knows the answer then why don't
> scientists create life?

Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention. The answer is that you are the first person ever to suggest such a thing. We will get right on it just for you.

Customer satisfaction is our goal!

I don't want smartass answers! This board seems to be filled with them. I have certainly given my share. Perhaps my question is beyond the scope of this board. It's like asking questions about the temple and getting the answer "I don't know." That isn't good enough for me.

Option 1: there is no answer

Option 2: there is a conspiracy to keep the answer from you

Which seems more likely?

Tom Padley Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> ...but I can't
> be placated with indirect answers. Point me to the
> facts!

You already know the fact. Here:

Scientists talk about
> chemical reactions and can describe how life
> happens, but they cannot replicate the process...

That's the fact. Scientist will add a modifier on the end: "yet". Give them some time. We've only been at it a handful of centuries, But we have accelerated almost blindingly the past 50-100 years. We'll see.

As for the why question others have answered you, that's not a scientific question. It's an all-too-human itch that gives birth to culture, which includes religion and the arts, for which there is no one right answer. Beware anything that proclaims to have the one right "why" answer. For example LDSinc.

No. Science does not answer the "why"question, nor is it concerned with it.

Since can tell us what happens and how things happen, but the why is left to philosophy and religion to debate.

This is why science will never totally eclipse the humanities. Scientists add a lot to the conversation, but cannot give the final answer.

I don't see how saying "We don't know how life appeared but it did" is any different from "Goddidit but we don't how."

Philosophical or religious, what difference does it make? It's all mental gymnastics rather than empirical evidence.

Exactly!

The bigger question is:
HOW should we live?
Not why we do.

Jesus Christ taught us how to live, whether he was an actual person or a compilation of religious and philosophical concepts. How should we live is not MY bigger question. I want to know why life happened. There has to be an answer, otherwise it becomes a matter of faith, and I'm not satisfied with that.

"Jesus" left out a lot.

I think that it's funny when people rant and rave when "science" can't answer their every question.

Especially since after only about 300 years it has produced a mountain of answers about every aspect of the universe, a mountain that no one human could become familiar with in many lifetimes.

Religion has had thousands of years to address the same issues.

How do you like their answers?

Science has said a lot about possible ways that life has arisen on this planet.

Go to google videos and make a search.

Funny? Rant and rave? All I want is answers, otherwise I have to revert to faith, in this case faith in science. My faith just went out the window when TSCC patted me on the head and told me to just stop asking questions. I don't like to be patronized.

Why is your question deserving of an answer? and if so, from whom?

Isn't every question deserving of an answer? If not, why ask questions?

Read this article:

Biologists create self-replicating RNA molecule
http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/shortsharpscience/2011/04/rna-enzyme-makes-another-rna-e.html

THANK YOU! The kickstart enzyme may be the answer I'm looking for. My path toward an answer is set.

Sorry for being agitated by all the various comments. Philosophy and religion simply do not work for me.

Getting closer...

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn25471-spark-of-life-metabolism-appears-in-lab-without-cells.html#.U_ddjfmzFyw

Again. Thank you for pointing me in the right direction.

I have a scriptural answer for that:

Alma 37:11

Good answer from a fictional source. I'm okay with that. For now I too shall forbear. The word forbear is so much better than the word faith. I'll give science my utmost forbearance. Faith, however, is not in my future.

Why? Because it was possible. One of infinite possibilities. Keep throwing stuff at the wall and eventually something will stick.

When you say _why_ did life begin, do you mean why or how?

The distinction is really, really important.

If I say, 'Why is the bus late?' presumably I am asking what has caused the bus to be late. Answers might be.. there was a big traffic jam, the bus blew a tire, the driver had a heart attack. My question would have been better phrased, 'What has caused the bus to be late?' In normal conversation we often say Why when we mean How. In a serious discussion we have to be more precise in our choice of words.

The word How,if you are asking How life began, refers to the circumstances of life arising.

The word Why,if you are asking Why life began, refers to purpose or intention.

If I say to a young person, 'How did you lose your iPhone?', I am asking about the circumstances. The answer might be something like, I was at Petco and I had set it down to pick up some cat food and I forgot about and checked out and left. If I asked Why did you lose your iPhone I am implying that the person had some motive or purpose, such as, 'I wanted my dad to get me a new one.'

So is your question _How_ or _Why_ life began? These are two different questions and two different discussions. It's okay to have both questions but understand that they are different from each other. If you don't separate them you are going to be chasing black bunny rabbits in the dark for a long, long time.

If you can't draw these distinctions you might look into a course in formal logic. It's not that hard.

Good response! I'm more fascinated by HOW it began, but in answering that question the WHY is also answered to some small degree.

A prior post gave me a link to the HOW, which is a chemical reaction created by an enzyme. I'm not a scientist, just a person who has always loved science. The simple answer in that scientific article is enough to satisfy my inquiring mind - for now.

And also 'for now,' the WHY of it all seems to be contained within the field of biochemistry as well as logic, both of which I may have a slight grasp. It's been a while since I attended school, having graduated from college 41 years ago. But I'm catching up.

A couple of places for thought motivation

1.The lost book of Enki

3. The Epic of Gilgamesh

NOTE! I do not say that these are the ultimate answer. Only that they are additional food for thought



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/22/2014 01:25PM by thedesertrat1.

Info abounds online (miller experiments, DNA, long, long periods of geologic time etc.) about HOW life formed.

Summary - Big Bang - Stars - Earth - Water - Atmosphere - DNA - Bacteria - Evolution - Long, Long, Long Time

The only science related (not complete) answer about "WHY life" that I know of is Gaia hypothesis that says "Life affects environment in a way that promotes life - kind of like consciously ...

This answer won't satisfy because science says it was random ... which I believe. There is no Why and no God.

You are an ape in shoes looking for another banana. Be glad you are a conscious monkey that can ask questions and appreciate - "Your Turn On Earth"



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/22/2014 01:33PM by perky.

I do not think Science can answer of the Why of it, except that experiments have shown that when the right chemicals are present in the right environment for them to get together, amino acids are created. And they are the building blocks of life on this planet.

So is that someone's design, or just an accident?

If someone knows, they are not talking.

Sorry Dude, you are not capable of getting it, even if it was hitting you with a ton of Bricks.....

Simple answer: no. Just some theories.
Same answer to why and how.