Re: 2nd Law of Thermodynamics

Greg Billock (billgr@cco.caltech.edu)
Fri, 16 Jan 1998 15:12:41 -0800 (PST)

I had said...
> >>What does speciation have to do with order or disorder? Which is more
> "orderly," two groups of organisms which can interbreed or two groups
> which cannot<<

Ron:

> I work on the idea that a one-celled, relatively primitive blob like an
> amoeba, for instance, cannot possibly become a complex creature such as
> man, no matter how much time is given. Seemingly you do not give credence
> to this idea. From your posts, you seem to indicate that evolution is not
> progressive, but processive. That that one-celled creature had all the
> ingredients necessary to eventually produce man. Therefore, evolution does
> not violate 2LoT. Am I right?

Not exactly. Let's get back to the above, though...any sort of proposed
evolutionary process involves speciation (macroevolution, in your
terms). You've said that this process violates the second law of
thermodynamics (which is identified as 'order decreases' or something
like that). So I'm curious what the background is for this....that is,
take a speciation as evolutionary theory suggests (two groups of
organisms which used to be able to interbreed no longer can), and explain
why this is an increase in order. (That is, why are the two groups which
can't interbreed more 'orderly' than the groups which can.)

[OK, everyone, no crude jokes now about interbreeding and orderliness :-) :-)]

If it turns out that we're talking about something different than what
you meant by 'macroevolution', that's fine too, you just need to let
me know :-).


> You understand, of course, you need to keep your responses simple. I am
> merely an interested observer, not an academician (that word doesn't look
> right. Is it?)

That's fine. :-)

-Greg