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Author Topic:   Why do people believe what they believe?
compmage
Member (Idle past 5153 days)
Posts: 601
From: South Africa
Joined: 08-04-2005


Message 25 of 51 (95997)
03-30-2004 2:07 PM
Reply to: Message 19 by coffee_addict
03-30-2004 12:21 PM


Lam writes:
The very definition of life is to be able to violate certain laws of nature.
I don't know if this is just a result of trying to simplify your explanation, but the quoted statement is wrong. Life in no way, either defined or in reality, violates the laws of nature.
Lam writes:
If you insert a handfull of particles into this box, the law of entropy says that the particles will eventully reach a state of equilibrium where all the particles are evenly spread out.
This is also incorrect. Thermodynamics has to do with how heat behaves. Entropy in thermodynamics is a word used to refer to the heat energy that is no longer available to do work.

Freedom, morality, and the human dignity of the individual consists precisely in
this; that he does good not because he is forced to do so, but because he freely
conceives it, wants it, and loves it.
- Mikhail Bakunin, God and the State, from The Columbian Dictionary of Quotations

This message is a reply to:
 Message 19 by coffee_addict, posted 03-30-2004 12:21 PM coffee_addict has not replied

  
compmage
Member (Idle past 5153 days)
Posts: 601
From: South Africa
Joined: 08-04-2005


Message 27 of 51 (96027)
03-30-2004 3:32 PM
Reply to: Message 26 by coffee_addict
03-30-2004 3:04 PM


Lam writes:
But for simplicity's sake, I just said that you can't treat something that is alive like everything else.
I thought this might be the case. You should consider being careful when you try to simplify things, sometimes (and I have done this) you end up making statements that aren't technically correct and could lead to more confusion than anything else.
Lam writes:
Entropy is the measure of disorder, which is supposed to increase naturally.
Entropy does increase naturally, but in thermodynamics it has very little to do with disorder. See this site for a slightly technical explanation of Thermodynamic Entropy.

Freedom, morality, and the human dignity of the individual consists precisely in
this; that he does good not because he is forced to do so, but because he freely
conceives it, wants it, and loves it.
- Mikhail Bakunin, God and the State, from The Columbian Dictionary of Quotations

This message is a reply to:
 Message 26 by coffee_addict, posted 03-30-2004 3:04 PM coffee_addict has not replied

  
compmage
Member (Idle past 5153 days)
Posts: 601
From: South Africa
Joined: 08-04-2005


Message 29 of 51 (96050)
03-30-2004 4:30 PM
Reply to: Message 28 by coffee_addict
03-30-2004 4:03 PM


Lam writes:
The second law deals with heat and energy, but it also deals with the disorder of things. So, please stop nitpicking while you're at it.
I was indeed nitpicking and I was perhaps a little to harsh. From your usage of the common creationist misunderstood version of the 2nd law (Entropy as disorder) I got the impression that you didn't really know what entropy was, however, having reread your posts, I see that I was mistaken. For this I apologise.

Freedom, morality, and the human dignity of the individual consists precisely in
this; that he does good not because he is forced to do so, but because he freely
conceives it, wants it, and loves it.
- Mikhail Bakunin, God and the State, from The Columbian Dictionary of Quotations

This message is a reply to:
 Message 28 by coffee_addict, posted 03-30-2004 4:03 PM coffee_addict has not replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 30 by Brad McFall, posted 03-30-2004 4:50 PM compmage has not replied

  
compmage
Member (Idle past 5153 days)
Posts: 601
From: South Africa
Joined: 08-04-2005


Message 47 of 51 (96403)
03-31-2004 3:42 PM
Reply to: Message 31 by coffee_addict
03-30-2004 8:08 PM


Lam writes:
I think you will find this site more to your liking.
I'm not that much of a TV or movie fan.

Freedom, morality, and the human dignity of the individual consists precisely in
this; that he does good not because he is forced to do so, but because he freely
conceives it, wants it, and loves it.
- Mikhail Bakunin, God and the State, from The Columbian Dictionary of Quotations

This message is a reply to:
 Message 31 by coffee_addict, posted 03-30-2004 8:08 PM coffee_addict has not replied

  
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