if we want to address the historical origin of life question in its particulars, namely, to specify the starting materials and the particular set of reaction steps that led from those materials to early life forms, then knowing the general principles that govern the conversion of relatively simple molecular systems into the complex systems of life would be of considerable value. It would suggest the kinds of historical evidence we should be seeking. And vice versa, knowing the reactions that led to the conversion of inanimate matter into animate matter would greatly assist in uncovering the
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