I love how the notion of entropy permeates into so many other things. It's fundamental, universal, and at the heart of nearly every aspect of our existence.
Take philosophy. If the ultimate state of everything culminates in chaos (according to the theory of entropy), the human existence constitues the exact opposite: controlling the chaos that surrounds us, and shaping it into something useful and, in entropy-speak, progressively unprobable. Making ice cubes out of water.
It follows that our existence can at least be described as a function of entropy.
This describes life. Survival is the battle against entropy. Procreation is the chosen weapon against chaos, a force of order in a universe that can't help itself but fall into chaos -- and, undoubtedly, will ultimately prevail in that fight. In the long run, life will lose.
Alternatively, all that attempts to control chaos and decrease entropy actually results in faster entropy increase overall on a systemic level. I remember reading about a (Russian?) physicist that believed that life simply happens as a result of the universe's attempt to increase entropy faster on sufficiently complicated systems. If someone remembers his name I'd be obliged.
Dorion Sagan (Yes, Carl Sagan's son) also covers this in his book Into The Cool. That life is only a force multiplier in increasing it universally, basically.
See my username ;) But my inspiration was from trying to make a difference within corporate culture, not raw survival.
> controlling the chaos that surrounds us, and shaping it into something useful
i.e., work
> In the long run, life will lose.
Unless there is a transcendent being beyond our universe, an explanation believed by many people for why, a long time ago, entropy was microscopic. The article admits it can't come up with a materialistic explanation and ends by calling it a "mystery".
It's true. Have you read the book "What is Life?" By Schrodinger? He discusses the very concept you're talking about as he speculates on the physical substrate of genetic information (which was discovered to be DNA not long after the book was published).
Take philosophy. If the ultimate state of everything culminates in chaos (according to the theory of entropy), the human existence constitues the exact opposite: controlling the chaos that surrounds us, and shaping it into something useful and, in entropy-speak, progressively unprobable. Making ice cubes out of water.
It follows that our existence can at least be described as a function of entropy.
This describes life. Survival is the battle against entropy. Procreation is the chosen weapon against chaos, a force of order in a universe that can't help itself but fall into chaos -- and, undoubtedly, will ultimately prevail in that fight. In the long run, life will lose.
Great article. Fascinating stuff.