[mannykannot]

> then given enough time a self-replicating system MUST appear.

The cause "given enough time" seems to leave the questions of how probable it is, and how widespread a phenomenon it would be, wide open.

> I don't see why it would have to lead to a non-Darwinian explanation of evolution.

To be clear, I don't think it does, and I don't read galenmarchetti as going that far, either.

> It's remarkable that this [survivability might just be a high-level manifestation of entropic drive of self-replicating systems] is a claim that can be falsified.

Can it be falsified? It seems a rather broad claim, and it is unclear to me that the falsification of England's theory would rule out some other theory succeeding.

[DigitalNoumena]

Agree. I cannot comment on how probable or how widespread, but only that it is possible, and in fact it is arguably a certainty based on the premises above. Now if entropy was the only driver then self-replicating systems would be the norm. But alas, the Fermi paradox. I think we are asking too much.

Could it be falsified? I think if you could show that natural selection led to the survival of less dissipative life forms then you could claim falsification.

[mannykannot]

I take your point about falsification, though it seems to depend on accepting that the Darwinian theory of evolution via natural selection is itself sufficiently falsifiable to present the 'threat' of falsification to the premise in question.