"This is not a new world; it is simply an extension of what began in the old one. It has patterned itself after every dictator who has ever planted the ripping imprint of a boot on the pages of history since the beginning of time. It has refinements, technological advancements, and a more sophisticated approach to the destruction of human freedom. But like every one of the super states that preceded it, it has one iron rule: logic is an enemy and truth is a menace."

-Rod Serling, The Obsolete Man

...but the problem is, humans also created logic.

"Dialectic, which is the parent of logic, came itself from rhetoric. Rhetoric is in turn the child of the myths and poetry of ancient Greece. That is so historically, and that is so by any application of common sense."

-Robert M. Pirsig, Zen and the Art of Motorcylce Maintenace

re: "The life supporting conditions on Earth are a simple matter of statistics."

Statistically speaking, there should be no life-bearing universe at all.

"With probably billions of rocks and balls of gas orbiting billions of stars in the universe the chances are high that quite a lot of them will have similar conditions to Earth."

Talk about an article of faith. This is preposterous.

It doesn't matter how many solar systems exist. The way to figure the odds is to look at each solar system individually. The question is, then, this: Within any given solar system, what are the odds that an earth-like planet, i.e., one that is perfectly balanced, self-renewing, has a sun exactly like ours, a giant neighbor exactly like Jupiter, and a moon exactly like ours, and is therfore capable of nurtutring and supporting not only simple microbial life but higher forms of animal life, will spontaneously evolve.

Answer: Zero

re: "God is a creation of the human mind..."

And where, exactly, do you think logic came from?

"Dialectic, which is the parent of logic, came itself from rhetoric. Rhetoric is in turn the child of the myths and poetry of ancient Greece. That is so historically, and that is so by any application of common sense."

-Robert M. Pirsig, Zen and the Art of Motorcylce Maintenace

re: "The Earth is a deformed rock..."

That has produced not only microbial life, but a rich array of higher animal life.

Show me any other "deformed rock" that has accomplished this.

You can't. Not one. You not only cannot show me one, you have no evidence whatsoever that another exists. Yet, you believe that one exists.

P.S. I find your disparaging description of the hostile nature of earth quite amusing. Indeed, without "Our moon... water...deadly earthquakes...thawing water or...[being] hit by massive space debris", we would not be here discussing this.

re: "I outlived him."

Thank God.

:)

re: "Superstition, which religion fundamentally is ..."

And where, exactly, do you think logic came from?

"Dialectic, which is the parent of logic, came itself from rhetoric. Rhetoric is in turn the child of the myths and poetry of ancient Greece. That is so historically, and that is so by any application of common sense."

-Robert M. Pirsig, Zen and the Art of Motorcylce Maintenace

re: "Yet it exists, so your statistics are obviously wrong or based on false premises."

The fact that it exists is a bona-fide miracle since, statistically-speaking, it should not.

re: "I said that chances are high that planets with similar chemical and climatic conditions exist."

This stems from your total lack of understanding of the myriad chance factors that had to occur in the exact time and sequence that they occurred for earth as we know it to exist, from the exact type of sun we have to our position relative to that sun to the tilt of our axis at the right angle to volcanic activity to plate tectonics to subduction to the fact that we have Jupiter to protect us from countless meteors to the existence of our moon at precisely the right size and distance to stabilize our climate to the fact that we live in a relatively small area of the universe that is even habitable due to radiation... the list goes on and on.

re: "Almost all species that ever existed are extinct."

If this were not so, we would not be here to discuss it. Periodic mass extinctions are just one more factor that allowed higher forms of life to arise here. As such, it is just one more factor that argues against it being repeated anywhere else.

re: "an intelligently designed planet"

Your words, not mine.

re: "Just a fairy tail."

It is not even arguable.

So, in addition to misspelling "fairytale", you just shot yourself in the head.

"The rules of logic are used by many parts of the brain to process information coming from the senses."

Of course, this particular understanding is a logically-based one.

Next.

re: "my high opinion of myself is based on a lack of evidence, and could therefore be unjustified."

For what it's worth, I have a high opinion of you. It is based upon your many excellent posts.

Very logical.

:)

I live in Hawaii, and it is an absolutely bitchin' day, so I'm gonna hop on my moped and cruise fown to Waikiki Beach.

It's a rough job, but someone has to do it.

:)

The beach was great. Intense UV today, though.

Ya know, it's a shame we're always on the same side. You're the only worthy mind I can find.

Perhaps we can argue over who is sexier: Scarlett Johansson or (name of your fav babe here).

I will defend Scarlett.

:)

http://tinyurl.com/56rd8v

God not only exists, he's an artist.

re: "So what is your conclusion? That Earth is not a result of natural processes?"

Show where I have said otherwise. You can't.

Now, the fact that these myriad chance events and processes occurred as they did to produce the earth -- and us -- is nothing short of miraculous.

Take that however you wish.