Scientifically, life is anything that causes a local and temporary reversal in the process of entropy. This definition pretty much covers all that is neccessary and sufficient to describe life.

Entropy is the tendency of all energies to arrive in time to a state of equalibrium.

Randomness can be defined as a result of entropy with regards to location of any given object or set of objects within a defined space in relation to a given location point of the same object or set of objects during a kinetic energy phase and after equalibrium is attained (absolut zero). Randomness is thus unknowable as no such stability has ever been known to occur and is, in fact, most unlikely to occur and is therefore unforeseeable.

I too, have read Hawking and I would think that he would be most upset at anyone pointing to him as the final word of authority on any subject.

Also, the Universe is a very strange place and it is unclear that the laws of physics, which are locally known, that is, within the observable universe from our general location within the same, are the same everywhere. This assumption tends to be borne out by theoretical physicists such as Stephen Hawking.

One of the strangest aspect of our universe is that with current knowledge it appears to have evolved from a near uniform entity which could be described as near random and through its continued evolution has produced an ever increasing higher order(s) of complexity(s). From a near plasmic, photonic fog within the first few microseconds to photons, ions, baryons and atoms of both helium and hydrogen with the latter being the dominate element by about 80%. From there to stars galaxies and the nuclear smelt of heavier elements and the formation of planets and in at least one instance, the formation of life. This seems to run counter to a cornerstone of the science of physics, the deduction of thermodynamics, the Second Law (which was actually the first law). Curiouser and curiouser!

And yet if the universe is an undirected occurence, that is, if no intellect is involved in it's creation, then it is quite plausable to argue that ALL is random and we must then accept that all events and occurences are random, including life which clearly, on a local level, runs diametrically to entropy. And if we human beings are truly random events, then all we do, say and think are also random events. And even if I predict that I will hit the capital "Z" key on my key board ten times in a row and then do so, whereby causing a series of the letter "Z" representaions to appear on any monitor which happens to be set to receive this forum, it IS a random event. Oh yes it is! ZZZZZZZZZZ. Gee, some of my letters appear to be more random than others!

Such a view point may seem absurd but that is what I see if you take God out of the picture. And, BTW, I deny any and all responsibility for anything, ever! After all, I'm just a random event!

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