The Probability of Life is Zero

Over the years, the question of whether there is life elsewhere in the universe, has been receiving increased attention.  This is partly because, in recent years, astronomers have discovered that numerous stars in our galaxy have planets orbiting them.  The inference is then plausible that, the more planets there are, the greater is the chance that some of them may have life.  Cascading from there, more planets with life, may mean more planets with intelligent life, and therefore, more planets with technologically advanced civilizations.

All that may, or may not, be true, but, the very basis of the discussion is flawed from the start.  When discussing the probability of life elsewhere in the universe, a key assumption is false.  The assumption is that, life arises by chance. 

It doesn’t.  Another false part of the paradigm is that life is its chemical process.  It isn’t.

If we assume that life in the universe arises by chance, then we must also assume, as an underlying basis, that the universe itself arises by chance.  Additionally, we must assume that the properties of the universe, those that make life possible, also arise by chance.  Cascading from there, we must assume that there are myriad universes, collectively called a multi-verse, perhaps infinities of them, and that all of that also arises by chance.

Now, wait just a minute here.  At what point do we decide that all this is too much of a stretch?  Might not there be a more simple paradigm, than infinite rolls of infinite dice?

Okay then, let’s consider the metaphorical dice, which represent the laws of probability.  There is a huge problem with those dice, and the problem is that, in order for probability to operate, it must do so within nonrandom parameters.  For example, if one assumes that the probability of a die-roll landing a six is one in six, then that assumes that the die has six sides.  But what determines whether the die has six sides, or more, or less?

Dice are not produced with random numbers of sides.  They are intentionally designed.  The designer (manufacturer) decides how many sides each die will have, and then he produces them accordingly.

Extrapolating from this, we can see that, at some point, whether in the universe, a multi-verse, or a mega-multi-verse, the laws of probability cannot operate, not unless first, there is an intentional design, an assigned set of parameters, a given number of sides to the dice.  Otherwise, chance means nothing.  The probability of anything happening, when probability has no meaning, is (at least colloquially) zero.

This brings us back to the question of whether there is life elsewhere in the universe.  If we are to discuss this question in any meaningful sense, then we must leave chance out of it.  We must ask, instead, did the designer of the universe give rise to life other than on our planet?

The chance of that, if one insists on thinking of it that way, is either one-hundred-percent, or zero.

.