Re: The Bible anticipates scientific discoveries - again!

From: Howard J. Van Till (hvantill@novagate.com)
Date: Fri May 04 2001 - 14:25:21 EDT

  • Next message: Terry M. Gray: "Re: The Bible anticipates scientific discoveries - again!"

    Jack quoted (from a person who ought to know better):

    > " (snip) (1) The book of Romans tells readers that the entire creation
    > is subject to the law of decay. Again, a scientist would see this
    > statement as an obvious reference to the second law of thermodynamics.
    > ...."

    George Andrews' zwei Pfennigs:

    > I think it important -- if not critical! -- to understand that the
    > second law drives systems to higher degrees of complexity locally. This
    > is the driving mechanism for evolution in all of its manifestations;
    > e.g. stellar formation, pulsed lasers, etc. To equate the 2'nd law with
    > decay alone, is therefore missleading.

    And utterly ridiculous!

    Another Pfennig: To all who would consider the Second Law of Thermodynamics
    to be a "law of decay" that follows from human sin, consider a world in
    which the Second Law were suspended.

    For instance, suppose that you and your beloved were, in a moment of
    affectionate communion, holding hands in this world without thermodynamic
    decay. Given this opportunity for heat to flow from one body to another, and
    given that heat could now spontaneously flow from a cooler body to a warmer
    body, it is entirely possible for your dearly beloved to freeze to death as
    you yourself are cooked to death.

    If that's a perfect world, I don't want to go there. Long live the infamous
    "law of decay."

    Howard Van Till



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