<< In principle, you could get life like this:

Set up conditions such that there are some strands of
RNA at the beginning;  RNA can replicate and disintegrate;
the replication is sometimes exact and sometimes has
small mutations; and no new strands of RNA can form except 
by replication.

That's all you need. 

TH
How about a skyscraper to house it in?
I'm being facetious but you are taking a lot for
granted. A LOT - and your "that's all you need"
is similar to a book telling you how to be a
millionaire that starts out "First get a million
dollars. Then...."
And even if you did by some chance get RNA
AND have it replicating (ribozymes are not
very advanced  by the way) -  then
ask this "why would a device for making
polypeptides eolve in an organism that
had no use for protein?"

Start with random strands, set up
conditions so it can replicate, and protect it from the
competition.

It can then gradually evolve via mutations

TH
Most mutations - and specially at the start -
would not be beneficial. Its highly likely that
any coding would fall apart within a few
generations.

Also what powers all this?
You have endless problems with this scenario IMO.

- Tom



 with tiny
beneficial effects, and become arbitrarily complex if
its environment is sufficiently large and challenging.

Or it could be clay crystals, DNA or some other
replicating medium.
--
Cathy
 >>
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