Said the athiest to the creationist...

[Twilight]

After a long debate with a most aggressive athiest about the seperation of "abiogenesis" from "evolutionary theory", I ended up with a simple conclusion, which was very amusing:

"We do not know how abiogenesis started, but it definitely wasn't evolution!" said the athiest to the creationist...

[Bravus]

His statement is a factually correct description of the two separate bodies of theory in science. It is correct to say that abiogenesis theory and evolutionary theory are separate bodies of knowledge, focused on separate issues.

Evolutionary theory must take the existence of self-replicating living things for granted as its beginning point. The theory does not address how such living things arose in the first place, it focuses on explaining how the present diversity of species on earth is a logical consequence of observable processes that occur with living things.

Abiogenesis theory is a separate body of work that attempts to explain the origin of living things. It is a very difficult task, and although there are some interesting theories there is not really a good consensus model of how this could occur, and scientists in the field acknowledge that situation.

So yes, his statement is an accurate description of the division of labor in modern life science. What point were you making?

[Twilight]

Evolutionary theory must take the existence of self-replicating living things for granted as its beginning point.

Why?

[Bravus]

Because evolutionary theory is about the ways in which species arise through 'descent with modification', i.e. across multiple generations. Can't have generations without reproduction, can't have reproduction without living things.

[Twilight]

Because evolutionary theory is about the ways in which species arise through 'descent with modification', i.e. across multiple generations. Can't have generations without reproduction, can't have reproduction without living things.

The question he could not answer however, was:

"When exactly does one stop and the other start."

Also:

Is this then saying that abiogenesis had no form of evolution in its developement at all.

Ignoring the obvious intent of dividing evolution and abiogenesis of course...