On 2006-07-31 16:37:28 +0100, Elroy Willis <elroywillis@swbell.net> said:

Andrew <thecroft@macunlimited.net> wrote in alt.atheism

Elroy Willis <elroywillis@swbell.net> said:

Andrew <thecroft@macunlimited.net> wrote in alt.atheism

For example, the probability of a universe where life is possible
coming into existence spontaneously is vanishingly small.

The chances of you personally winning the lottery are exceedingly
small as well, but someone always ends up winning, despite the huge
odds against each person who plays.

You're basically saying that it's impossible to win the lottery, when
you know it's not really true.

This is true, but if the same person won twenty weeks in a row you'd
want to have a good look at the ball selection system - even though this
is statistically possible.

All it takes is one "win" to get life started, so to speak. I didn't
say anything about winning twenty weeks in a row.

But the same principle applies - it is only a matter of degree of degree.
If someone did win for twenty weeks in a row there would equally be the
argument that, as there is a possibility that it could happen, and since
it 'has' happened, then we should just accept it.