[ThinkPlease]

That's incorrect. Watson isn't referring to the probability / improbability of chemicals to self-form. Instead, he is referring to the ability of chemicals to randomly form, store, and sequence data in an organized manner.

It is DATA "self-forming", not chemicals that are in question. Whether the data that we are looking for is the first sentence of Hamlet or the first gene in DNA, Watson's math applies equally.

What do you know, I found the More monkeys document. You are right. (Write it down, guys.)

I don't know that he has properly estimated the number of instances of "monkeys" in the universe, however. What is the current estimate of the Drake equation, for example?

I also do not accept other parts of the document, but that will have to wait until I get home from work to explain fully.

[Southack]

"What do you know, I found the More monkeys document. You are right. (Write it down, guys.)

I don't know that he has properly estimated the number of instances of "monkeys" in the universe, however. What is the current estimate of the Drake equation, for example? I also do not accept other parts of the document, but that will have to wait until I get home from work to explain fully." - ThinkPlease

Man, you've been at work for a WHILE now!

[Southack]

More time passes...

[Southack]

"What do you know, I found the More monkeys document. You are right. (Write it down, guys.)

I don't know that he has properly estimated the number of instances of "monkeys" in the universe, however. What is the current estimate of the Drake equation, for example? I also do not accept other parts of the document, but that will have to wait until I get home from work to explain fully." - ThinkPlease

Man, you've been at work for a WHILE now!