The Origins of Life: Philosophical and Scientific Perspectives

This lecture delves into the historical evolution of defining life, from philosophical and religious perspectives to the emergence of scientific approaches in the 19th century. It explores the negative definition of life, the controversies surrounding biological definitions, and the shift towards an evolutionary perspective. The lecture examines various mythological accounts of the origin of life, essentialism, anthropogony, and the dualistic and fixist views of life's creation. It also discusses the enduring myth of Prometheus, highlighting the anthropocentric and dualistic interpretations of human origins, and the challenges posed by these ideas to scientific inquiry.