On one hand evolution seems to drive against the second law in that it creates a state of (locally) higher order.
On the other hand the second law seems to drives evolution – in the sense that it provides a constant fitness measure – essentially evolutionary fitness of life is a measure of its ability to maintain an ordered state in a system that naturally drives towards disorder. No entropy -> no evolution.
Wikipedia states:
"and the second law follows because random chance alone practically guarantees that the system will evolve towards such thermodynamic equilibrium".
Which actually uses the word "evolve". But Evolution actually gives us a system that locally moves away from thermodynamic equilibrium giving us system of very high complexity (us!).
What is the relationship between the 2nd law and evolution?
Update:
Applogies the question is vague. I understand that taken as a closed system the 2nd law holds – hence my careful use of "locally" – I never meant to suggest that evolution => 2nd law doesn't hold.
The essence of what bugs me I think is that it is odd that a law which essentially state that disorder increases seems to be dirrectly linked to (i.e be a driving force behind) evolution – which has given rise to some highly complex systems (albeit within a closed system that overall obeys the 2nd law). Without entropy and a natural tendance for things to decay there would be no selection. The 2nd law seems to provides a fitness function that is constantly applied in realtime to provide selection necessary to drive evolution.
It seems ironic that a law that implies an overall move to a state of disorder seems responsible for peaks of extreem complexity – indeed for some of the most complex systems known to science.
So maybe my question becomes:
Does entropy and the 2nd law drive evolution? Its it true that a law that states that a closed system moves to a state of increasing disorder can also be responsable for extreem peaks of order within that system (that overall obeys the law)?
Best Answer
The second law of thermodynamics only applies to closed systems. The earth is an open system (as it is continually receiving energy from the sun), hence the 2nd law doesn't apply to evolution and increase in complexity does not violate any laws.