# The Universal Evolution and the Origin of LIfe

**Authors:** Gennady Shkliarevsky  
**arXiv:** [2104.08076](https://arxiv.org/abs/2104.08076)  
**Date:** 2021-04-13  
**Summary page:** https://www.summarizepaper.com/en/paper/2104.08076v1/

## Key points

- The origin of life is a significant topic in the study of evolution
- Current approaches to studying the origin and evolution of early life are often reductive
- This paper aims to provide a perspective that avoids reductionism and includes both domains (life and non-life) in their respective evolutions
- The study examines various theoretical perspectives on the origin and evolution of early life and offers a constructive critique
- Emphasizes the need for an objective view, considering an object or phenomenon from all available points of view
- Seeks to provide a broader angle for synthesizing current perspectives into a comprehensive interpretation of the origin and evolution of early life
- Acknowledges challenges posed by the complex nature of life and its origins but remains optimistic about uncovering answers to fundamental questions about life
- Researchers express frustration at the discrepancy between accumulated knowledge and lack of definitive understanding regarding life's emergence on Earth and its place within the universe
- Many researchers believe that answers to fundamental questions about life are attainable through continued exploration and interdisciplinary collaboration
- Topics discussed include self-organization, information theory, thermodynamics, randomness problems, genetic code development, symbiogenesis, environmental influences on evolution

## Summary

The origin of life is a topic of great importance in the study of evolution, as it occupies a liminal space between life and non-life. However, current approaches to studying the origin and evolution of early life are often reductive, either reducing the domain of non-life to that of life or vice versa. This paper aims to provide a perspective that avoids reductionism and outlines a framework that includes both domains and their respective evolutions as particular cases. The study examines various theoretical perspectives on the origin and evolution of early life and offers a constructive critique of these perspectives. It emphasizes the need for an objective view, which involves considering an object or phenomenon from all available points of view. The goal is not to disprove current perspectives or deny their achievements but rather to provide a broader angle that allows for synthesizing these perspectives into a comprehensive and objective interpretation of the origin and evolution of early life. In other words, this contribution seeks to outline a frame for an objective view that can help us understand the place of life within the universe. It acknowledges the challenges posed by the complex nature of life and its origins but remains optimistic about our ability to uncover answers to fundamental questions about life. However, there is still much we do not know about why life is the way it is. Researchers express frustration at the discrepancy between accumulated knowledge and a lack of definitive understanding regarding life's emergence on Earth and its place within the universe. Some even question whether we can ever have scientifically relevant language capable of capturing such complexity. Despite these doubts, many researchers refuse to accept this limitation on human knowledge. They believe that answers to fundamental questions about life are attainable through continued exploration and interdisciplinary collaboration. This paper provides insights into several key issues related to understanding the origin and evolution of early life. It discusses topics such as self-organization, information theory, thermodynamics, randomness problems, genetic code development, symbiogenesis, environmental influences on evolution among others. Overall, this study contributes to the ongoing quest for a comprehensive and objective interpretation of the origin and evolution of early life.