Re: 2nd Law of Thermodynamics

Ron Chitwood (chitw@flash.net)
Wed, 21 Jan 1998 17:00:34 -0600

>>>At any rate, my major point, which you didn't respond to, is that
decreasing
entropy IS possible and the 2nd law explains how it comes about.<<<

Yes I did. Just as you said, the overall effect is increasing entropy (the
universe is running down). Reversals (decreasing entropy) do appear but
the overall 'bear market' of 2LoT ultimately wins.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
and do not rely on your own insight.. Pr. 3:5
chitw@flash.net

----------
> From: Steve Clark <ssclark@facstaff.wisc.edu>
> To: evolution@calvin.edu
> Subject: Re: 2nd Law of Thermodynamics
> Date: Wednesday, January 21, 1998 2:30 PM
>
> At 02:00 PM 1/21/98 -0600, Ron wrote:
>
> SC
> >>>>This is absolutely incorrect! The 2nd law DOES allow for increased
> >order
> >> (decreased entropy). The law specifically describes the conditions
under
> >> which a decrease in entropy can occur. In fact, there is daily
evidence
> >ot
> >> this. For instance, decreased entropy occurs when a single fertilized
> >cell
> >> grows into a multi-trillion cell human. The naive view of the 2nd law
> >> perpetrated by anti-evolutionists fails to take into account the
obvious
> >> examples of increased order that occur in the world.<<<
>
> Ron
> >Ah, but it starts out as a sperm (as an example) grows to human
adulthood,
> >then dies, and eventually becomes dust. To me that is an example of
> >overall increasing disorder. To my 'great unwashed' mind, 2LoT is like
a
> >constant bear market. It has peaks, but they always seem alittle less
than
> >they were before. Thus an increase in entropy.
>
> And the dinosaurs became extinct (permanently back to dust) and the
universe
> is running down. In the end, entropy wins regardless of how much order
> there appears at intermediate times. It just depends on your points of
> reference when you try to claim that entropy has increased or decreased.

>
> At any rate, my major point, which you didn't respond to, is that
decreasing
> entropy IS possible and the 2nd law explains how it comes about.
> _________________________________________________________
> Steven S. Clark, Ph.D . Phone: 608/263-9137
> Associate Professor FAX:
608/263-4226
> Dept. of Human Oncology and Email:
ssclark@facstaff.wisc.edu
> UW Comprehensive Cancer Center
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> 600 Highland Ave.
> Madison, WI 53792
>
> "It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the glory of kings to
> search out a matter." Proverbs
> ________________________________________________________
>