Abiogenesis in Light of the Cosmological Principle

Ian von Hegner

2025.078.0377

DOI https://doi.org/10.59332/jbis-078-11-0377

A key question in astrobiology is whether the origin of life on Earth is an improbable or probable event. In the context of the Cosmological and Copernican Principles, it will also be a point of discussion whether life on Earth holds a privileged position in the universe. This paper argues that, regardless of whether the origin of life on Earth is deemed an improbable or probable event, Earth’s life does not hold such a privileged position. Even if the emergence of life, or abiogenesis, is a deterministic process that unfolds in the same way and produces similar initial forms across worlds, the process on each world is inevitably and independently of each other influenced by contingent circumstances. Consequently, the probability of life’s origin will have different numerical values that vary locally while remaining globally the rule. The Cosmological Principle predicts there will necessarily be an even or considerable distribution of these probabilities with no definitive numerical values that confer a privileged status. The fact that the numerical values are different each time is important for the estimation of the possibility of the emergence of life on other worlds. While certain types of worlds may produce life as we know it, the timing or certainty of its emergence cannot be predicted. If multiple forms of life exist, it cannot be said that a certain type of world can produce life either. Therefore, a revised trend for the probability will establish a trade-off between the likelihood of discovering life elsewhere with understanding its distribution across the universe.

Keywords: Astrobiology, Copernican Principle, Extraterrestrial life, Exobiology