Final answer:
Spontaneous generation, the theory that life can arise from nonliving matter, was proposed by Aristotle but later disproven by Pasteur. More recent experiments have demonstrated that organic compounds can form from inorganic molecules under certain conditions, supporting the concept of abiogenesis.
Step-by-step explanation:
The theory of spontaneous generation, proposed by Aristotle, suggested that life could arise from nonliving matter if it contained vital heat. However, this theory was later disproven by Louis Pasteur in 1861. In more recent times, scientists like Stanley Miller and Harold Urey conducted experiments that showed organic compounds, including amino acids, could be formed under certain conditions from inorganic molecules and energy. These findings support the concept of abiogenesis, the origin of life from non-living matter.