I agree. And I think you agree that their argument is fundamentally circular. We evolved here. Circumstances permitted us to evolve here. Since circumstances permitted us to evolve here, then we must not have evolved by accident. Doh. It's akin to saying that since my eyes are grey there must be some intelligent creator who caused them to be grey for some reason, and it proves just as much :)
Dana PS - Don't remember Asimov's version though I probably read it, read almost everything of his, can you refresh me? On 6/2/05, Jim Davis <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Dana [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Sent: Thursday, June 02, 2005 7:03 PM > > To: CF-Community > > Subject: Re: Smithsonian for sale? > > > > you ever hear of the drake equation? I am basing this statement on a > > possibly imperfect recollection of one of its terms. There is a > > habitable zone in our solar system. I do not remember whether it > > officially includes Europa. And yes, the paradigm has flaws. It > > assumes that life will be carbon-based. It assumes that no > > civilization will last more than x years. It assumes that only > > technilogically advanced life (as we understand it) is necessary for > > communication with life forms. But that's what I was talking about :) > > Yes - but the Drake equation is not for "life bearing" planets but rather > for "Earth-like" planets. And Earth-like planet (seasons, atmosphere, > liquid water in quantity, etc) can only exist in narrow shell around any > given star (and not around all stars at that). > > The equation is essentially a number of assumptions using Earth as the > assumed norm. It's an excellent exercise but not limited to Drake (I still > prefer Isaac Asimov's "Extraterrestrial Civilizations" although it's > woefully out of date nowadays). > > The best assumption that we can make right now is that for a planet to have > civilization it needs to have a LOTS of life - enough to survive periodic > cosmic extinctions and experiment (via evolution) until intelligence > develops. > > In simple terms it has to be Earth-like. > > All of the other places I mentioned may very well contain life but it's > incredibly unlikely that intelligent life could evolve there. Each involves > only a single, potential environment most likely suited to only simple life. > > Earth, on the other hand, provides many environments. Huge oceans to > gestate large quantities of organic material and lush landscape capable of > nurturing intelligence and civilization. > > To the IDers the fact that Earth is, well, Earth-like I obvious proof that > God exists. They say that there's just no way that it could have happened > "by accident". > > Of course we think they're wrong (based, if nothing else, just on the number > of possible solar systems out there). But they continue to gain traction > and support. > > I really think that this is going to lead to a major confrontation in > American schools. > > Jim Davis > > > > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Find out how CFTicket can increase your company's customer support efficiency by 100% http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=49 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:5:159503 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/5 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:5 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=11502.10531.5 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
