It would appear, then, that life, which is a very complex arrangement of matter and energy, could not have arisen on Earth over long periods of time. What we should observe is a perfectly uniform Earth with nothing but the random motion of molecules and atoms, which themselves should be maximally disorganized --- and no life. But of course, this is not what we observe, because the Earth is not a closed system. It continually receives radiant energy from the sun, which then takes part in processes here on Earth, before it is converted to very disorganized thermal energy. Thus some part of the closed system of the Earth and Sun can become organized for some time (life and other natural cycles like the water cycle), because there is an even greater compensating disorganization elsewhere in the system (the conversion of radiant to thermal energy).

I can't help pointing out that even if this alleged attack on Evolution Theory succeeded, it would not invalidate Evolution Theory (after all, complex life did arise!); it would invalidate the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics. But if the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics were invalid, it should be possible to build a perpetual motion machine, and a machine which would pluck the Bach Fugue in D minor you played on your CD player yesterday from the random motion of the air molecules in your house, and play it again without the CD. For that matter, it should be able to pluck Bach's first rendition of the Fugue in D minor from the air, as well as the cries of your infant great-great-great-great grandmother when she was born.

Please return to Empirical Doubts.