Re: [NTLK] [OT] Carl Sagan Vindication

Thought I would bring something up that is related. Read a book a few years
back, "Life of the Cosmos" Author: ???

Basically, contemplating our existence with the presence of a "GOD" per
Christian religion or otherwise. The author is a physicist and cosmologist.
Normally, when I read these types of books, I can only understand about 30
percent (40 if I happen to sharp that particular day). And so, Steven
Hawking and the like are 60 to 70% out of my mental range.

Anyway, the author, while trying to find support for a coexistant "GOD" and
our science, he goes through what is required for our kind of life to exist
(carbon based life) on our planet in our solar system in our universe. The
probability as he calculates it is quite small, and therefore, he says that
this alone MAY be proof of some higher form responsible for at least
creating the environment from which life was spawned (and from what point of
life is dependent on your own beliefs - I am not trying to incite a riot
here).

If I piece this all together to the current OT discussion about the
possibility of life elsewhere, at least this author found the probability of
our own existence to be low.

Just thoughts of which I have little to no opinion as of now, just sharing
from my reading.

Respectfully,

Dana Cook

-----Original Message-----
From: newtontalk-bounce@newtontalk.net
[mailto:newtontalk-bounce@newtontalk.net] On Behalf Of jabberwock@poetic.com
Sent: Thursday, January 04, 2007 2:12 PM
To: newtontalk@newtontalk.net
Subject: Re: [NTLK] [OT] Carl Sagan Vindication

We must tread with care on matters of religion here, but I can't help being
reminded of the excellent talk given recently by Richard Dawkins at a
Virginia university. His new book, like all his books, praises Darwin and
science in general and somewhat demeans the recent 'intelligent design'
theory. Many students at the Southern University stood up to counter his
ideas but he held his ground well and actually had overwhelming support. One
of his thoughts was that minorities, gays and women are out of the closet
and defending their right to take part in society; now it is time for
athiests to speak out. I suspect that Sagan, Darwin, and Dawkins would get
along well with all their crazy ideas.

For the USA readers amongst us I recommend Book TV, a service of C-SPAN and
a wonderful place to discover outspoken thinkers of our age. You may find
that the Dawkins talk will be repeated. More info at booktv.org

cheer
Tom Swell

> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "James Grubic" <jgrubic@bozeman.k12.mt.us>
>
> I think a lot of the animosity towards him comes from his pursuit of the
> confirmation of extra-terrestrial life, and his steadfast refusal to
> accept religions that have no empirical evidence to support their beliefs.
>

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