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Even if it doesn't define life obviously replication is the thing here. Without capability of replication there is no continuation and even if some matter is alive it has limited time to obtain this ability. Which is actually seems like slightly more possible than impossible to me. Not saying straightforward impossible just because we exist.

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Any non infinitessimal probability leads to certainty given enough time.

Consider it in terms of reactions per second - take the likelyhood of non-formation of replicators (call it 99.999999999% - because it actually does not matter), to the power of the number of reactors, to the power of the number of seconds since the universe began.

The likelyhood that no self-replicators form rapidly plummets to a vanishing value.

By that standard there hasn't been much time.

I may have added too many nines, but the point stands.

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