Hypothetical Pantheon

[Makalakumu]

Scientists are working very hard to harness Abiogenesis. Imagine a situation where scientists actually create a life form. Now, lets say that these same scientists seed this life form onto a distant planet and it begins to evolve. Whether or not intelligence develops, would these scientists be considered Gods? Why or why not?

 

[mrhnau]

Scientists are working very hard to harness Abiogenesis. Imagine a situation where scientists actually create a life form. Now, lets say that these same scientists seed this life form onto a distant planet and it begins to evolve. Whether or not intelligence develops, would these scientists be considered Gods? Why or why not?

Depends on your definition of God. Intellegent Designer for sure. Then again, would it be ID if you just start it, and not direct the resulting "evolution"?

 

[Makalakumu]

Depends on your definition of God. Intellegent Designer for sure. Then again, would it be ID if you just start it, and not direct the resulting "evolution"?

With a deistic view of god, the scientists would be both Gods and Intelligent Designers.

 

[Zepp]

The same question becomes slightly less hypothetical if you take it back a generation. If human beings were created by extraterrestrials, would those beings be gods to us? And would that rule out the existence of a deistic, omnipotent, omniscient intelligence that guides all of existence in some way?

I'd say no to both.