This chapter will often use the phrase plausible prebiotic conditions. In figure 9.2, the
scientist is not cooperating. He refuses to play the game. He enters no words into the
computer, so he accumulates no tries. The researches are very unhappy with these results.
So they blast the door with dynamite. This of course opens the door (figure 9.4). The
origin of life scientists then conclude that given 5 billion years the door will open.
Figure 9.4 is an
obvious example of investigator interference.
Figure 9.4: Investigator Interference
The concept of investigator interference was first introduced by
Thaxton et al. in The Mystery of life’s Origin: Reassessing Current Theories. In this
book, the authors suggest that some interference is warranted. Scientists cannot conduct
experiments that last for one billion years. So interference is useful in that it speeds
up the process of evolution, and to be fair, the interference is a great learning tool
because it allows scientists to rule out extremely unlikely scenarios. Thaxton also
concludes that in many cases the interference is excessive.
While interference is a good idea because it helps scientists learn, it can
also be very misleading. The scientist did not open the door in figure 9.4. The dynamite
opened the door. Any conclusion that given time, the scientist will open the door is
completely unfounded. This chapter will introduce many examples of interference. Readers
should use their own judgement as to whether the degree of interference is acceptable or
excessive using the following criteria: if the artificial conditions generated in the lab
might happen in nature given 5 billion years, then the interference is acceptable.
Otherwise, it is excessive. Proteins will be considered first, followed by RNA.
Next: Miller Spark Chamber and Proteins
Previous: Primordial Evolution and Zero Tries
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