Wouldn't this tendency have started right from the big bang? Was there somehow an original order from which everything decays? Is there perhaps a balance between order and chaos?
2006-07-17 09:43:44 · 8 answers · asked by 3Monkeys 1 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
I think someone with more than a tangential understanding of the 2nd law of thermodynamics came here once and said the law is grossly misapplied. It should only pertain to the specific realm tha was the result of experimentation, on the levels of infinitesimally small particles and the like. It might just be a huge category mistake. I'll have to read more.
For instance, the theory of speciation by natural selection goes against this whole "randomness, entropy" picture. There is a process and ordering that occurs which brings about new adaptations and species. Of course there is an implementation of randomness-- vis. genetic variation, but that Serves the higher levels of ordering, the structure to extend beyond the present parameters.
2006-07-17 11:57:46 · answer #1 · answered by -.- 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The current ideas suggest that, yes, the universe began from a point of very high order, and has slowly become more disordered since then.
Keep in mind that there's no such thing as a "balance" between order and chaos in the terms we're speaking in; order and chaos are just two directions things (the course of the evolution of the universe, specifically) can go in, kind of like forwards or backwards.
2006-07-17 16:48:40 · answer #2 · answered by extton 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Directly linking to yin and yang there has to be order among chaos. If everything were random then there would be no cause and effect theory. We have an original order to everything that did exist from the first cell, but as we evolve, so do our actions and re-actions therefore making things different and maybe even seem random. There are variations of everything, but never can we change what is supposed to inevitably happen.
2006-07-17 16:56:04 · answer #3 · answered by crystalglass_33 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Randomness is a relative term. Just because it looks like randomness to you, doesn't mean it's random according to a bigger picture or wider perspective. Also, there is the argument of causality and you might not always know the cause.
Think of it as a mosaic. If you stand too close to the painting, all you see are dots seemingly in random position. However, when you step back you can clearly see that there is purpose to the positioning of those dots.
2006-07-17 17:37:12 · answer #4 · answered by Philthy 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There's a balance between increasing randomness (entropy) and decreasing energy (enthalpy or internal energy). Sometimes, a decrease in enthalphy over a small area is sufficient to overcome the increasing entropy, although the overall entropy of the universe still increases.
Here's one example: Entropy tends to drive matter apart, but our planet is still held together by gravity. For the planet to fly apart (i.e. fully randomize itself), a tremendous amount of energy would have to be supplied to lift all of the planetary mass out of the gravity well. Thankfully, this hasn't happened.
2006-07-17 16:50:02 · answer #5 · answered by foofoo19472 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This is an order: It's all what the Bible says. Every thing in there is taking place although... the Bible is a disorder in some aspects!
2006-07-17 16:54:14 · answer #6 · answered by tenndev 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
who said there was order in the universe?
2006-07-17 16:45:44 · answer #7 · answered by Zippy 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is no order; only your perception makes you think you see order.
2006-07-17 16:47:35 · answer #8 · answered by Cosmic I 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋