: If there is one thing that really bothers me, it is people who misinterpret scientific concepts. The Second Law of Thermodynamics basically states that in a system, things tend to move from order to disorder. This phenomenon is called entropy.: It is fallacious to say that the Second Law of Thermodynamics contradicts evolution because evolution is gaining in order. It is true that as a whole, our universe is cooling down, however, this does not mean that you cannot organize on a micro scale.
Quite. To use an example I've cited many times, ice is in a lower-entropy state than water; it is a crystalline solid lattice; where water is a disordered collection of molecules linked by Van Der Waals' forces. For ice to freeze requires a local decrease in entropy; even if the overall entropy has increased.
If entropy could never decrease, then ice just wouldn't exist. Since ice exists, we have to conclude that local decrease in entropy can and does happen; even if it results in increased entropy elsewhere.
The overall entropy delta-S is always greater than 0 on a global scale; but locally it can be negative or positive; as long as the total delta-S is greater than zero.
If the delta-S of the local system ("local") is negative, then the delta-S of the surrounding is large enough to make the net change positive.
: Put simply, the Second Law of Thermodynamics does not contradict evolution or reality.
Agreed.
If it did; we'd be able to demonstrate it physically and thus to falsify it; to prove it wrong; since we can't, thermodynamics doesn't contradict evolution.
Gideon Hallett.
None.
