[Mylo]

Just because something happens by a random mechanism doesn't mean it "all happened by chance" or "by accident". Such is the ignorance of someone unfamiliar with randomness, Science, evolution, or quantum mechanics. Mostly Creationist and ID'ers.

Quantum mechanics shows that the mechanism for atomic formation are random, but given the conditions of the universe, the formation of matter is inevitable. Something that is inevitable is NOT an accident or chance.

Molecular Biology shows that the mechanism for mutation is random, but given the conditions of life on earth, evolution through natural selection is inevitable. Something that is inevitable is NOT an accident or chance.

An example.

During the last ice age rabbits went from predominantly brown camouflaged pelts to predominantly white camouflaged pelts. The mechanism for this was random mutation of the genes that supply color to the pelt. But due to natural selection the outcome was INEVITABLE; it most certainly wasn't an accident or by chance.

If you reject evolution because the mechanism is random you must also reject quantum mechanics. Because if life formed "by accident" or "by chance" because the mechanism is random, then the ENTIRE UNIVERSE formed "by accident" or "by chance".

Ridiculous.

[jdhighness]

1-- You don't really understand the difference between theoretical-math based quantum mechanics and observation based quantum mechanics. The former (math-based) says a whole bunch of crazy stuff, like we can violate the first law under certain conditions. The latter (science, observation based) says the first law is good to go.

2-- Under infinite time and with infinite combinations life could evolve from non-life. Under early earth conditions (best of our knowledge) and given the mechanisms of evolution and the time involved, there is good reason to believe an intelligence is responsible for many historical occurrences: origin of life, establishment of eukaryotes, evolution of the human brain from the chimp brain (time constraints and mechanisms are huge on this one).

Inevitability only applies to systems with infinities, not practical, real systems.

[dukeman]

Yeah, but what's a gerbil pie?