The Second Law

Totally unrelated to the original thread side note: I just got that DVD set, and watched the first video. I though it was pretty interesting...aside from the goofy 70's "space ship"...

 

>>>>Folks, I have quoted an expert in the field (Atkins) rather extensively. Then I quoted a respected popularizer. Nothing flies with you. No, my thoughts have not changed, but it was just really interesting to watch the reactions here. ANYTHING other than creation. And, to my mind, anything other than reality as well<<<<<<

Sure you quoted Atkins, but you didn't prove anything by it. He does not agree with you that the 2nd law or entropy is a barrier to evolution. In the above post, you try to imply otherwise, but it is simply not true and you know it. In fact you have admitted as much somewhere, if I remember correctly.

 

Did you not post a new topic yesterday about the problems of using metaphors to explain science? This is a great example. Respected people using a metaphor or a generalization to explain a complex topic does not make that metaphor or generalization equivalent to the actual science being explained.

I am sure you could quote from respected scientists til the cows come home giving examples of the same kinds generalizations. But these would still not replace the actual science of entropy nor would you get these same scientists to agree that entropy poses a problem for evolution. So I do not see the use unless you have a very specific example where evolution must violate the mathmatical expression of entropy.

 

>>>>>>So now we have material from publications by both the Smithsonian and Scientific American declaring both the 2LOT and entropy to be universally applicable.<<<<<<

Certainly the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics is universally valid. But in all cases its universal validity permits evolution. And it is absolutely true that ultimately the universe as a whole goes towards greater entropy, given enough time. But that also does not prohibit some interesting life forms from living between now and "ultimately".