Could life be simpler?

This question comes to us not only at troublesome times in our lives.
In fact, after ‘Why is there life at all?’, this is perhaps the second most profound question we can ask.
I will review current theories of the origin of life, with particular stress on the context of its inherent complexity.
Arguably, the most complex ingredient of the complex system of life at present is the most ‘universal automaton’ life has produced to date: Homo sapiens.
In addition to its superior adaptation skills, it is capable of reflecting upon its very existence, through conscious cognition – a phenomenon that apparently emerged as a result of Homo sapiens’ universal adaptability, yet which to date lacks adequate explanation, both theoretical and experimental.