Chapter 2: The Relationship Between Life and Entropy

Before proceeding, I recommend reading my introductory essay on entropy to grasp its fundamental concepts better. Now, let’s examine life through the lens of entropy. For simplicity, we can consider entropy as a gauge of uncertainty within a system. Some prefer to think of it as a measure of disorder, which can also work for our discussion.

When we view life's activities through this entropy perspective, we observe a "before-and-after" scenario. For instance, a potter combines clay and water, employing tools and techniques to create a pot.

In this case, the "before" represents a system of clay and water, filled with uncertainty, as these materials could transform into countless possibilities. Their "purpose" is ambiguous. In contrast, the "after" is the pot, which has a defined purpose, capable of performing a limited number of tasks—mainly to hold something valuable.

Thus, the potter is effectively taking a higher-entropy system and transforming it into one of lower entropy. If we consider higher uncertainty/disorder to equal higher entropy, the potter’s work can be seen as reducing entropy.

This principle can be generalized across various professions.

For example, Anita, an accountant, converts disordered financial data into structured, orderly information for tax authorities, thereby reducing entropy. Similarly, Ben, a programmer, transforms chaotic characters and symbols into functional software, thus lowering entropy. This leads to the conclusion that perhaps the essence of life is to reduce entropy in various forms. However, this notion can be misleading.

Section 2.1: The Nature of Beauty

We are inherently attracted to beauty, whether in people, animals, plants, or objects. Beautiful entities simply appeal to us, even if we can't articulate why. Generally, what we perceive as "beautiful" tends to be a system exhibiting relatively lower entropy compared to those we consider "ugly," which possess higher entropy.

What fuels our fascination with low-entropy systems? Part of the answer may lie in their rarity and uniqueness. If all things were beautiful, we would eventually adapt and seek something even more exquisite. As a result, we continuously pursue systems with higher value, which correlates with lower entropy.

When we dig deeper into this behavior, we often find ourselves at a loss for the fundamental reasons. Some might argue it's simply human nature, but perhaps entropy itself could argue:

“No, it is because I have willed you to be this way!”

Subsection 2.1.1: Life as a Product of Entropy

Earlier, we recognized that productive human efforts diminish entropy in specific systems, suggesting that reducing entropy could indeed represent life's fundamental purpose. However, I hinted at this being a misleading interpretation.

To clarify, we must focus on the term "system." When we engage in productive work, we decrease the entropy of that particular system. Yet, that small system is part of a larger one, which in turn is part of an even bigger system, extending to the entire universe—the largest system we know.

In calculating the overall entropy of the global system, it becomes evident that while we may reduce local entropy in our specific tasks, we simultaneously increase global entropy across the broader system.

For example, while the accountant reduces entropy for the tax office, she inadvertently contributes to increased disorder in the global information ecosystem.

Section 2.2: A Dual Reality

From a cosmic perspective, what we view as useful information is interpreted as chaos. This suggests that while we may perceive ourselves as reducing entropy locally, we are, in fact, amplifying it on a global scale.

Some might argue that nature or entropy is misleading us, rendering our productive efforts futile. However, I contend that there is no deception here. If it were truly deceptive, we would not have made such significant strides in understanding entropy.

Thus, the reality appears to be dualistic; a coexistence of life and entropy. The human concept of time supports this notion. Our "useful work" proves beneficial within our local contexts and finite timelines. We indeed reduce entropy in systems that matter to us during our lifetimes.

However, when viewed on a grander scale that transcends our lifetimes, entropy relentlessly progresses towards omnipresence. It seems as if "life" serves as a mechanism orchestrated by entropy to fulfill its agenda, just like everything else in the cosmos!

If you want to support my future endeavors, consider contributing on Patreon.