Hi Stephen and all,
> . . .Incidentally, doesn't the second law of thermodynamics strongly
> suggest that static patterns are not all migrating to an ultimate good? I'm
> no stephen hawkings but if the 2nd law is true then isn't that therefore
> the state to which all static patterns are migrating, so a dead universe is
> the ultimate good? i think DQ is quite the reverse and a step against the
> physical system we have understood so far, i think, ish,kind of, hmm.
>
As main exponent of the 2nd law in this forum, I reject your assertion and
think that it reflects a lack of understanding of the law.
The law states the direction in which closed systems (including the universe
as a whole) tend to change over time. It does not tell us if that change will
necessarily be realised at any observable rate.
There are NO EXCEPTIONS to the second law. Any system that appears to violate
the law is not a closed system. When it is re-examined TOGETHER with all
relevant outside factors (i.e. as a new enlarged closed system) the direction
of change will accord to the second law.
Life is not a violation of the second law. It must be examined together with
all the inputs and outputs. If you think that life creates order, I suggest a
visit to your local garbage dump!!!
The higher order patterns that allow an organism to live come at the expense
of DISordering in the lower order patterns in the food it eats. TAKEN TOGETHER
IT IS AN OVERALL DISORDERING (in thermodynamic terms, the entropy increases).
This entropy increase isn't a migration towards death, but towards life.
Some time, I intend to write a new essay for the forum. Far too often the 2nd
law is interpreted pessimistically as a prediction of the death of the
universe. The purpose of my essay will be to present exactly the opposite
view!!!
Jonathan
(the optimist)
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