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A Thermodynamic Account of the Emergence of Organised Matter

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Evolution and Transitions in Complexity

Abstract

The preceding chapters of this book focus on complexity, evolution and life. Relatively little attention is paid to underlying mechanisms. This is the reason why the current chapter focuses predominantly on mechanisms that can explain the organisation of complex systems, either operators or interaction systems. The main causes of organisation are sought in the intrinsic motion of fundamental particles at temperatures above absolute zero, and the capacity of bonds between particles to form and break. Such processes are analysed from a thermodynamic perspective, focusing on the degradation of free energy and the occupation of accessible microstates. Both the degradation of free energy and the occupation of accessible microstates play a role during every next step in the Operator Hierarchy. Accessible microstates are furthermore used for calculating the contributions of DNA and of the brain to complexity on earth, as well as for calculating the probability that a pattern of Darwinian evolution occurs. In Sect. 14.3 relationships are discussed with existing literature.

“Who was right, Darwin or Carnot?” (Capra 1996, p 48).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Wageningen University and Research, Environmental Research (Alterra), 47, 6700AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    Gerard A. J. M. Jagers op Akkerhuis

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  1. Gerard A. J. M. Jagers op Akkerhuis
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Correspondence to Gerard A. J. M. Jagers op Akkerhuis .

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  1. Wageningen University & Research, Environmental Research (Alterra), Wageningen, Gelderland, The Netherlands

    Gerard A.J.M Jagers op Akkerhuis

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Jagers op Akkerhuis, G.A.J.M. (2016). A Thermodynamic Account of the Emergence of Organised Matter. In: Jagers op Akkerhuis, G. (eds) Evolution and Transitions in Complexity. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-43802-3_14

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