There is a never-ending debate between evolutionists and
creationists. IslamOnline recently published several articles on
the topic. One of these articles, Thermodynamics Falsifies Evolution
, received a particularly high viewing. Among the comments
received by the
Health & Science editor from readers were:
"Thermodynamics applies only to a closed system, and thanks to the
sun, the earth is not a closed system. You have no idea what you
are talking about and it shows."
"Evolution and Thermodynamics Evolution is a well established fact.
It does not violate the second law of thermodynamics. Harun Yahya
is completely wrong."
"The article says that entropy is a measure of disorder in a
system. However, this is not the definition of entropy. Entropy is
energy lost as unusable radiation. All physical processes that
involve the transfer of energy (of any type, heat, motion, kinetic,
electrical, etc.) involve not only a transfer of energy, but a
slight loss of energy. Some engergy is inevitably converted to
heat, and a portion at least of this energy is not recoverable, and
will eventually radiate away into the universe generally.
Additionally, the section about open systems is incorrect. There
are three types of systems in which physical processes take place.
An open system is one in which matter and energy (usually heat) can
be freely exchanged with the outside of the system. A closed system
is one in which energy, but not matter, can be exchanged with the
outside. An isolated system is one in which neither matter nor
energy can be exchanged with the outside. While such a system can
be closely emulated, the only perfectly isolated system is the
entire universe. The Second Law of Thermodynamics states that only
in such a system will total entropy only increase. However, this is
a statistical law, and local variations are not only allowed, but
are expected. The same type of statistical law explains the
dispersion forces experienced by molecules, along with numerous
other scientific and even sociological systems. Thus entropy can
decrease dramatically on, for example, a small planet while
innumerable stars radiate energy into the universe generally - some
of which will be lost as unusable heat. In conclusion, entropy
deals directly with only energy lost as heat, and nothing else, and
mathematical laws allow local variations to the increase of entropy
in a very large system (the universe). Also, please note that I am
a Christian and believe in a divine Creation."
"You dance around the open-system facet of the second law, after
praising the law as an immutable law of the universe. The fact is
this: If you consider the sun as well as the earth, then the
overall order HAS decreased."
"The second law is talking about the whole universe which may or
may not be closed. The earth and all of us are such an
insignificance that local order from chaos is just that, local (
Does not the chaos of vacuum produce occasional order in the form
of subatomic particles). I certainly do not believe in evolution as
darwin presented it but to use the second law as evidence against
it is a fallacy and will just confuse some people. I actually think
that life is an exception to "the second law" and that should
mankind avoid destroying this world through rampant breeding and
destruction/poisoning of the earth, then eventually we will be
powerfull enough to as we wish including reversing entropy. But
only if we survive the next few generations."
"Unfortunately,the author of the essay against evolution has missed
an extremely important point. Namely, that if we don't believe it
to be true then we are left with the absurd notion that some
imaginary deity created everything. Perhaps if the author were to
put the concept of 'God' under the microscope it would become
apparent that evolution makes more sense, and has more evidence
supporting it, than the naively fanciful alternative."
"The rational for this oft quoted falsehood being that the second
law of thermodynamics states that entropy (disorder), will always
increase in a closed system. As any fool knows, entropy must have
decreased for evolution to take place as life involes the ordering
of molecules, the development of systems to store information
(genes) etc..and hence the apparent contradiction.
However the article fails to take into account the fact that the
earth is not a closed system as it receives energy from the sun. It
is this energy that powers evolution, and as such, the second law
cannot be applied to the earth."
Join in on the debate and tell us what you think.
Health & Science Editor
IslamOnline
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