From: "Gary Britt" 

I disagree.  It is a sample size of all observable planets and of those
observable planets only one is earth like and capable of supporting life.

Gary

"Tony Williams"  wrote in message
news:43822288$1{at}w3.nls.net...
> No, Gary. It's either a sample of one earthlike planet or a sample of
> several tens of non-earthlike planets - 11 or so of them orbiting around
>   our sun, the rest around other stars.
>
> We could quibble about the definition of "earthlike" if you want. A
> start might be to require the presence of liquid water and an oxygenated
> atmosphere. If you're going to consider planets which don't meet those
> criteria where do you stop? Asteroids? Comets? Stars themselves? All may
> be capable of supporting some sort of life, but (ahem) not as we know it.
>
> --
> Tony
>
> Gary Britt wrote:
> > Its a sample of around 12 and from that sample only one was capable of
> > supporting life.
> >
> > Gary
> >
> > "Tony Williams"  wrote in message
> > news:43812d5f{at}w3.nls.net...
> >
> >>No, it's a sample of one planet capable of supporting the type of life
> >>with which we're familiar. Whether earthlike planets are common or rare
> >>is an entirely different question - so far we just don't know.
> >>
> >>--
> >>Tony
> >>
> >>Gary Britt wrote:
> >>
> >>>Its not a sample of one but a sample of around 12.  We
know about life
> >
> > on
> >
> >>>all the planets in the solar system and the probability that none
exists
> >
> > on
> >
> >>>the handful or less of other planets we have detected.
> >>>
> >>>Gary
> >>>
> >>>"Tony Williams"  wrote in message
> >>>news:437e33f9$1{at}w3.nls.net...
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>>Gary Britt wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>Until we observe them, you are just GUESSING (or
should I say using
the
> >>>>>scientific method) that they exist and what we may
find.  There are
> >
> > what
> >
> >>>12
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>>>planets in our own solar system and with the odds
of life springing
up
> >>>>>everywhere so easily as Tony claims I would expect
at least 8 of them
> >
> > to
> >
> >>>>>have life just as complicated as modern man.  If
they don't maybe
life
> >>>>>springing up isn't so easy after all.  If you go
by the observations
we
> >>>
> >>>are
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>>>able to make, the odds are astronomical against
life just springing
up
> >>>
> >>>from
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>>>nothing by chance much less then having all the
conditions right at
> >
> > each
> >
> >>>>>step on the way to life as complicated and
intelligent as modern man.
> >>>
> >>>If
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>>>the scientific method is using what can be
observed to predict/guess
> >>>
> >>>about
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>>>what you can't.  Then the scientific method does
NOT support Tony's
> >>>
> >>>guess
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>>>that life springs up pretty damn easily all on its own.
> >>>>
> >>>>Slight correction: I didn't say anything about the
probability of life
> >>>>appearing. We know of only one planet capable of
supporting the type
of
> >>>>life we're familiar with, and it's a bit difficult to
extrapolate from
a
> >>>>sample of 1.
> >>>>
> >>>>--
> >>>>Tony
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >
> >

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