On 19 March 2014 12:52, Hal Ruhl <halr...@alum.syracuse.edu> wrote: > > To answer your question I think the narrowest characterization of the type > of life I talk about is that it is one of the possible processes within a > universe that if implemented increase the entropy of that universe. > Further all such processes will be implemented in any universe in which > they are possible. Since entropy has a fixed maximum in a closed system (a > universe) then life must enable its own extinction. >
I'm told (mainly by PCW Davies iirc) that the maximum entropy in an expanding universe increases indefinitely. This is how a big bang fireball that was more or less at thermodynamic equilibrium could turn into a universe full of dissipative systems. This may not however prevent life from enabling its own extinction (at least in the very, very, very long run) - although I'd say at the present epoch it is mainly stars that are enabling its extinction. (Along with its existence, too, of course.) -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Everything List" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to everything-list+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to everything-list@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/everything-list. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
