3. Entropy, Energy and Diffusion

One of the arguments against evolution by those who don't wish to be labeled as monkeys is often the argument of entropy. More often you have to explain that you do not believe that human's are direct descendants of monkeys, than you have to explain the subtle nature of entropy. Though never in these arguments did I ever believe that I would be able to use their own argument against their point of view.

What most people know of entropy is a brash over generalization of the Second Law of Thermodynamics. "Things tend towards disorder, so how is it we could have highly ordered evolutionary structures in a universe which tends chaos?" To really understand this, you need to understand the fine print of the Law. Yes, systems tend towards disorder, but they also will order themselves if and only if they can create a higher amount of disorder from doing so. Moreover, the word disorder is not the proper nomenclature. Because a system which is ordered can breakdown into many ordered states, which is more disorder than what you started with. So with all semantics aside, what does this really have to do with evolution?

We can begin by assuming that entropy in an evolutionary system is the tendency towards diversity within a system. This is a direct analogue to what entropy is for a physical system, except we are missing the conduit for this type of exchange from order to disorder. In a physical system, diffusion is the definition for this exchange. Diffusion is the method for which energy is distributed throughout a physical system given some criteria. In an evolutionary system, diffusion also occurs, and the source and dispersion of energy is dictated by Entropy. Much like a physical system, energy in an evolutionary system must be distributed by the most efficient means possible.

The term energy has many faces. Thermal, electromagnetic, kinetic, gravitational, and on and on. How are we to understand which to use? This really depends on what we are studying. We would not use kinetic energy to describe a the flow of electrons in a circuit. So we must then define an exchange of energy in an evolutionary system. We could simply call it energy, but many smarter persons will confuse the definition with those that are given to us from physics. To find a suitable word, we must investigate further. What form of energy does an evolutionary system need to evolve?

Energy is really just a representation for something which is exchanged. Remember that in normal circumstances it is not created, nor destroyed but rather traded. In an evolutionary system, it is the same. Energy is needed for a system to order itself. Our sun is a great source of many different kinds of energy. Both gravitational and electromagnetic energy ordered our solar system to the point to where it could support life. In another case, our labor is energy. It is an exchange of our time, for some investment or collateral. With our labor we order our lives, upkeep our nests, save for our children's college tuition, which in turn is another investment. While these are rather abstract examples, they are examples none the less of what energy does. Evolutionary Systems need some form of energy to represent the exchange within itself and other influential systems. In the previous paragraph, I asked what form of energy does an evolutionary system need in order to evolve. If we are to make a generalized argument for evolution of any system, then we must have a generalized representation of energy. It really depends on what system you are studying. We really don't have any better word for the type of energy utilized by an evolutionary system than the word energy. Whenever I write a post and examine a particular system, I will plead my case for the type of energy associated with that system.

So an Evolutionary System is one with a degree of diversity within itself. That System is ordered by means of diffusion of energy. Ordering occurs according to the rule of entropy, where energy tends to be distributed throughout the system by the most efficient means.

For the next couple of posts I will focus on primarily examples of Systems. This will bring some of the language and ideas I'm using into focus for many of you. Until then, safe travels.

2. Evolutionary Systems

Throughout these posts I will be using the term "system" periodically. A definition of the word system is as such; A group of interacting, interrelated, or interdependent elements forming a complex whole. This is not just a good definition for a word, but for an idea as well. Evolution is not something which only affects Biological Systems, but all systems of interrelated complex groupings. More importantly, no matter how unrelated one system is from the next, they evolve according to the same set of rules. This means that whether your system is biological, some social construct, or even an abstraction from society, it evolves.

Do you believe that all Human Beings are the same? Diversity within system brings about evolutionary changes. How can a steady state system ever evolve? The answer is simple, It can not. The very characteristic of a steady state system is that it does not change, that it is in fact at equilibrium. So an Evolutionary System must be a non-homogeneous system. Furthermore, if an Evolutionary System is non-homogeneous, then what system exists which does not evolve?

All systems have some degree of diversity. What makes this interesting is what governs that distribution of diversity. To answer this, we must understand why diversity is an integrable part of Evolution. Why must a system be diverse for it to evolve? While it is rather easy to say that reason being is that it is not a steady state system, no further argument can be made as to why. Diversity in a system represents the system's response to a given problem. The more diverse a system is, the more adaptable it is. This is not so much an argument for evolution, as it is an argument for basic survival. Now it can be said that the portions of a system which survive are the portions of a system in it's next evolutionary step. Still we are missing the trigger for which a system is forced to survive. So the diversity of a system is the potential for it evolve, given some triggering mechanism. This really is the long way of saying, Diversity in a system is the means of "Survival of the Fittest".

Another defining characteristic of a system is its population size. Without a given population size, diversity within a system is limited. What does this mean? As a population size grows, it allows for the existence of more diversity within a system. Furthermore, as a system's population grows to even higher degrees, the diversity within that system will bring about sub-systems. These sub-systems will be largely in part the same as it's parent system, except for some interrelated characteristics that it only shares with other members of the same sub-system. For example, the Human race is an evolutionary system which contains many sub-systems. Race, culture, preference in religion or politics. The members of all those sub-systems all have something in common. They are human. However, they have more in common with other members of their sub-system than they do with all members of their parent system. Let's take a look at another seemingly unrelated example. Ball-point pens, Felt-tip pens, pens with reservoirs are all sub-systems of Pens. Each has it's own solution to the same problem.

The next time you leave your house, or disconnect yourself from your cellphone, take a look around. Observe and define a grouping. Is it non-homogeneous (diverse)? Does it have a population size? If it's population size is small, how diverse is it? Is it contained in, or does it contain a sub-system?

Until next time, Safe Travels

1. An Introduction

What is evolution really? What do we know now? We have statistical evidence that suggests evolutionary process, but in the end the statistics can only describe the process in its current step. As many of us know, evolution is a process of many steps. I have in many ways devoted my life to understanding the Dynamics in Evolution. I want to know what truly governs this process from a more general view. What makes a system what it is? What predications can we make on a coming evolutionary step? Can a system be forced to evolve? I hope to answer many of these kinds of questions and establish a scientific method in proof of my claims. I will do this by observation, example, and what tools I have available from my knowledge of mathematics. It is my intent to explain the math I'll use to the best of my ability so even those without knowledge of the subject can remain involved in the arguments. This will be a journal of my observations.

I realize that this is an undertaking, one which I have already spent the better part of a decade pondering. While I realize that this format is not the best format in which too plead my case for Universal Evolution, I do believe it is a great place for me to start gathering my thoughts. Along the way, I will be adding some math to begin backing my ideas. However do not believe that what I am talking about here is scientific by any measure, because making it scientific is in fact my goal. I have spent much time tweaking my ideas, the philosophy, logic, but I can now start testing them with the tools mathematics has given me.

Please join me in an expression of introspection, I am almost certain you'll enjoy what I have to say. In my next post I will be discussing what I define as a system, so as to avoid arguing over semantics in the future. Until then, safe travels.