Unveiling the Divine Wisdom: The Second Law of Thermodynamics Debunked - A Christian Perspective

The Second Law of Thermodynamics: Answers to Critics

The Second Law of Thermodynamics is often challenged by critics, particularly in the context of creationist arguments. In this article, we will address three common questions and provide responses to these criticisms. It is important to note that our perspective is rooted in young-earth creationism.

Open Systems

One common critique of the Second Law is that it does not apply to open systems, such as the Earth receiving energy from the sun. However, this argument is false. While the Second Law is often stated for isolated systems, it applies equally well to open systems as confirmed by Dr. John Ross of Harvard University. Open systems still tend toward disorder, but there are cases where local order can increase at the expense of greater disorder elsewhere.

For example, crystallization is a process where local order increases while overall disorder still prevails. Living things also possess energy-converting machinery that maintains and increases complexity while causing increased disorder elsewhere. However, it is important to note that raw energy alone cannot generate the specified complex information found in living organisms. Undirected energy flow through a primordial soup, for instance, would break down complex molecules faster than they form.

Why This Matters: Understanding the applicability of the Second Law to open systems helps us see that even with an influx of energy from the sun, the overall tendency toward disorder remains. This challenges the idea that undirected processes could generate the vast amount of information present in living organisms.

Think About It: Consider how a car cannot run by pouring petrol on it and setting it alight. The energy in petrol needs to be harnessed through specific mechanisms for the car to function properly. Similarly, raw energy cannot create the complex structures and information in living organisms without specific machinery and processes.

Crystals

Critics often cite crystals as examples that seemingly violate the Second Law by demonstrating increased order. However, this argument overlooks the distinction between order and complexity. Crystals are ordered structures but lack the complexity found in living organisms. They are regular, repeating networks of atoms and contain limited information.

Contrastingly, life exhibits complex patterns that require more than just orderliness. Proteins and DNA, for example, have non-random sequences that are not caused solely by the properties of their constituent molecules. Rather, these sequences must be imposed from outside by an intelligent process. Scientific experiments have shown that simply mixing building blocks leads to random sequences. The specific complexity found in biological systems cannot arise through undirected processes.

Why This Matters: Understanding the distinction between order and complexity helps us grasp why crystals do not provide evidence against the Second Law. Life requires more than just ordered arrangements of atoms; it necessitates specified complexity that points to an intelligent creator.

Think About It: Consider how a crystal breaking results in smaller, identical crystals because the information in them is not greater than in their parts. In contrast, breaking proteins or DNA leads to destruction because they contain more information than their individual components.

The Fall and the Second Law

Some may wonder if the Second Law of Thermodynamics began at the Fall, referring to the biblical event where sin entered the world. However, it is incorrect to claim that entropy or the Second Law originated at this point. The Second Law encompasses processes that involve increases in entropy, which can lead to positive outcomes such as solar heating, walking (due to friction), breathing (based on pressure differentials), digestion, and baking a cake.

Scripture teaches us that death and suffering entered the world as a consequence of sin but does not imply that entropy itself began at that time. It is more likely that God's sustaining power was withdrawn after the Fall. While God continues to sustain the universe, His sustaining methods may no longer involve supernatural preservation as seen during the Israelites' journey in the wilderness.

Why This Matters: Recognizing that the Second Law encompasses both decay processes and positive outcomes helps us understand that entropy is not inherently negative. The Fall resulted in death and suffering, but entropy itself predates this event.

Think About It: Consider how everyday activities like walking or breathing rely on the Second Law in action. Friction allows us to walk without slipping, and pressure differentials enable us to breathe. These processes involve increases in entropy yet serve essential functions. Addressing common criticisms of the Second Law of Thermodynamics helps clarify its relevance to creationist arguments. Open systems still tend toward disorder, and the complexity found in living organisms cannot arise through undirected processes alone. Crystals demonstrate ordered structures but lack the complexity required for life. The Second Law's relationship to positive outcomes challenges misconceptions about entropy. While the Fall brought death and suffering into the world, entropy itself predates this event.

By engaging with these topics, we can deepen our understanding of creationist perspectives and encourage further exploration of the scientific and biblical foundations behind them.