[AndyTheBear]

Actually, Darwin didn't address the origin of life, just the origin of species.

Can you have life without at least one species?

But your right in that his famous theory is about common origin rather than the source of that first species. However, I've read where actually did address the idea of the origin of life, he just had no idea how it could be treated as a scientific theory. He essentially just presumed it somehow emerged from the muck. I have the impression that it wasn't a subject he wrote on often because he didn't want to be labeled a kook by revealing he was a naturalist.

[wbarmy]

Darwin's 1871 letter to Joseph Hooker with his speculations on the spontaneous generation of life. This is where he talked about the small warm pond where some chemicals and light and heat and electricity combined to form the first stirrings of life. Exactly the scenario that Miller started out with.

[colorado tanker]

he just had no idea how it could be treated as a scientific theory

That's my understanding, too. Just speculation on his part.

[colorado tanker]

he just had no idea how it could be treated as a scientific theory

That's my understanding, too. Just speculation on his part.