Is Entropy Natural?

[kelber at mindspring.com]

I'm no scientist, but it seems that even idealized biological groups (i.e., self-sustaining, recycling) would still face their own forms of friction dragging them towards entropy:  non renewable resources, uncontrollable factors from outside the system (comets, volcanos, earthquakes, etc.).  That groups struggle against entropy doesn't mean that they don't succumb to it in the end.

Laura

-----Original Message-----
>From: David Morris <fqmorris at gmail.com>
>Sent: Oct 28, 2008 3:41 PM
>To: Henry <scuffling at gmail.com>
>Cc: Pynchon Liste <pynchon-l at waste.org>
>Subject: Re: Is Entropy Natural?
>
>Does this article give examples of instances **non-biological
>systems** "[not] displaying disorganization and decay but [instead]
>self-organization and growth?"
>
>I have never thought that biological systems were subject to the laws
>of thermodynamics.  Biological systems might be seen as in constant
>struggle to survive despite the ever-present and ever-changing threats
>presented it by thermodynamic systems.  They might be seen as
>anti-thermodynamic.
>
>Any scientists in the house?
>
>David Morris
>
>
>On Tue, Oct 28, 2008 at 12:31 PM, Henry <scuffling at gmail.com> wrote:
>> http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=how-nature-breaks-the-second-law
>> "despite its empirical success, the second law often seems paradoxical. The proposition that systems steadily run down seems at odds with the many instances in nature not only of disorganization and decay but also of self-organization and growth. In addition, the original derivation of the second law has serious theoretical shortcomings. By all rights, the law should not apply as widely as it does."