Very interesting discussion.
Bert, I mostly agree with you but can't quite get my head around a couple of things:
Quote:
Originally Posted by avandonk
If the same ab initio conditions occurred today evolution would produce a totally different result.
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How does that relate to the fact that evolution has produced similar results in response to similar conditions? Wings, or eyes, for example. Even if the pre conditions are random, the response to them and the end result may not necessarily be so. I'm not sure the overall "result" of evolution would be that much different if the starting conditions really were exactly the same.
Quote:
Originally Posted by avandonk
In a clockwork Universe that was the Universe of classical theory the future was totally determined or predictable if one knew where all the particles were at any time perfectly one could predict the future ad infinitum.
Chaos theory tells us there is no such thing as predermination or fate.
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I would have thought that the main problem is knowing what exactly each particle is doing. Gathering this information would necessarily interfere with the process you are studying, thereby altering its outcome.