"TomHendricks474"  wrote in message
news:bs2h2r$12bv$1{at}darwin.ediacara.org...
> <<
> >From your smart, but somewhat evolution-theoretically esoteric,
proposition
> that this is a *symbiotic lineage-sustaining strategy*, there is only a
> small step to thinking that GAIA has a symbiotic stake at maintaining
status
> quo with its Moon. ;-)
>  >>
>
>
> Well if the Moon does have a symbiotic relationship with earth - we need a
new
> term for it:
>
> We've got chemical evolution for pre-life
>
> Natural selection for during.
>
> Now we'll need a new one for selection on planets with  life  that best
> survive. Perhaps having a nearly the same size moon helps.

You are right about suggesting that having a sufficiently large moon is a
(*at least* facilitating) precondition for a planet to become the
play-ground for biological evolution.
A decent-sized lunar mass has a stabilizing effect that makes planetary
wobble (or erratic rotation) much less pronounced/of a problem. (As you
probably know, just did not write.)

Although hard to quantify, the "life-force within fundamental physics"
requires a certain degree of environmental reliability (a quiet enough
'node' within nature - IOW a niche space) to get going and get a hold.

Best wishes,

P
---
þ RIMEGate(tm)/RGXPost V1.14 at BBSWORLD * Info{at}bbsworld.com

---
 * RIMEGate(tm)V10.2áÿ* RelayNet(tm) NNTP Gateway * MoonDog BBS
 * RgateImp.MoonDog.BBS at 12/24/03 6:15:04 AM