The demise of cosmic evolution

It now appears that the Copernican principle (so beloved by Carl Sagan) has bitten the dust.

Quotes and comments;

1. "The more new planets we find, the less we seem to know about how planetary systems are born, according to a leading planet hunter.” We cannot apply theories that fit our solar system to other systems: “In theory, other stars with planets should have gotten similar starts. But according to [Geoff] Marcy, theory has implications not born out in reality.” [1.]

- This observation potentially has large implications for cosmic evolution theory. The foundation of projects like SETI, is that what's true of earth should be true of the universe in general. i.e. since life formed naturally here on earth it must necessarily form elsewhere in the universe; billions, if not trillions of times. The basic idea championed by Carl Sagan (and Cosmos) is that life here on earth (or in our solar system) isn't in any way unique, and that what is true of us must be true of the universe. Recent discoveries have left this pretense in ribbons (like a flag after a prolonged storm).

- Materialists are now being forced to accept the fact the basic idea behind cosmic evolution is false. (Reality can be such a nasty thing.) It simply isn't true that the rest of the universe must be like our solar system. This doesn't mean life forms won't be found, or don't exist, but it does falsify the basic 'Copernican' pretense.

Summary; people who disagreed with the Copernican principle were mocked by Sagan as being stupid, ignorant or superstitious... but now it appears they were right.

Notes;
1.Busted! Planet-Making Theories Don’t Fit Extrasolar Planets; Creation/Evolution Headlines 02/23/2011
'Famed planet-hunter Geoff Marcy is giving theorists headaches. The leading theories of planet formation won’t stand up to observations of hundreds of planets we know. In National Geographic News reporter Richard Lovett lamented, “The more new planets we find, the less we seem to know about how planetary systems are born, according to a leading planet hunter.” We cannot apply theories that fit our solar system to other systems: “In theory, other stars with planets should have gotten similar starts. But according to Marcy, theory has implications not born out in reality.”
2. Definition of Copernican principle [from Wiki]
'In physical cosmology, the Copernican principle, named after Nicolaus Copernicus, states that the Earth is not in a central, specially favored position.[1] More recently, the principle has been generalized to the relativistic concept that humans are not privileged observers of the universe.[2] In this sense, it is equivalent to the mediocrity principle, with important implications for the philosophy of science.'
3. Definition of mediocrity principle [from Wiki]
'The mediocrity principle is the notion in philosophy of science that there is nothing special about humans or the Earth. It is a Copernican principle, used either as a heuristic about Earth's position or as a philosophical statement about the place of humanity.'
- In my opinion materialism is the real mediocrity principle; as it has little explanatory power.
It's a mediocre worldview at best; it might get you halfway up the mountain, but in no way will it get you to the top.
4. Extension of MP;
(1) life on Earth depends on just a few basic molecules;
(2) the elements that make up these molecules are (to a greater or lesser extent) common to all stars, and
(3) the laws of science we know apply to the entire universe (and there is no reason to assume that they do not),
(Conclusion) then – given sufficient time – life must have originated elsewhere in the cosmos.
5. “Theory has struck out,” he [Marcy] told the American Astronomical Society last month.