Whatever may be the merit of Dr. Johnson’s proposal, the fact remains that we only observe here on earth life coming from life. We do not observe the animate arising from out of the inanimate such as earth or soil. Living things characterized by cell structure and cell activity are of a different nature than earth, soil, or rocks which are not made out of cells. Accordingly, for the animate or lets say a single cell to arise out of the earth or water according to a natural process, there would have to be an exterior cause/s to transmute the matter or nature of earth or soil, rocks, water, or the mineral substances here. Scientists may invoke the power of the sun or its light and radiation. One thing I think is certain is that the earth is at the right distance from the sun so that life can flourish on earth where its not to hot and not to cold. And secondly, another key player here with life on earth is the earth’s atmosphere. A single living cell is very complex with complex DNA. So whatever the exterior cause/s may be or were to transmute the nature of the soil lets say mixed with water or simply clay, the effect must be the formation of a living cell with very complex DNA structure. I personally do not see natural or second causes whatever they may be doing this and we don’t observe it on the earth now. And no effect is greater than its cause so that if it is theorized that the animate arises from the inanimate, it may be argued it seems that such is a case where the effect is greater than its cause, the greater coming from the lesser.
‘And God said, “Let the earth put forth vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, upon the earth.” And it was so.
The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.’ (Gen. 1: 11-12).
Accordingly, I believe the direct efficient cause of the various kinds and species of plants and animals on earth is God himself who made and formed from out of the earth and the waters the various species through his Word, through whom all things were made (John 1: 3). And to forestall the notion that the sun is the father and creator of life on earth which Israel’s pagan neighbors were wont to do, Moses places the creation and formation of the earth’s vegetation and trees on day 3 before the making of the two great lights and the stars on day 4.
