I've heard the argument that earth is in such a unique position that life would be impossible if things were just slightly different.
That makes sense.
Life is only possible from preceding life.
Not if silicon and AI takes off. :-)
However the likelihood that a planet somewhere in the universe having those particular conditions is far greater than zero.
That makes sense.
I does. But does the assignation of 'The Special Place' to a specific planet follow?
"Life is only possible from preceding life.
True only if you consider fairly complex life with no simpler non-life or proto-life precursors. If you consider the gradual development of cellular life from smaller non-DNA pre-life it has no meaning. If the studies into this bear fruit, as it were, then we can start talking about any 'evolutionary mechanisms' in abiogenesis.