Universal Laws of Physics

Discount Evolution as a Myth

Extract from: The Collapse of Evolution, 2^nd Edition by Scott M. Huse

published by Baker Books, a div. of Baker book House Co.

P.O. Box 6287, Grand Rapids MI 49516-6287

pp.75-81

The geologic facts presented in the previous chapter have inflicted irreparable damage to the general theory of organic evolution. We now turn to the scientific discipline of physics to ponder additional factual evidence, which also serves to refute evolution and support biblical creationism. These facts are taken from the first and second laws of thermodynamics. These two laws are proven scientific laws which have been tested repeatedly under all types of systems. No reputable scientist doubts their validity and full applicability.

The First Law of Thermodynamics

The first law of thermodynamics is known as the Law of Energy Conservation. It states that energy can be converted from one form into another, but it can neither be created nor destroyed. This law teaches conclusively that the universe did not create itself! There is absolutely nothing in the present economy of natural law that could possibly account for its own origin. This scientific fact is in direct conflict with the basic concept of naturalistic, innovative evolution. The present structure of the universe is one of conservation, not innovation as required by the theory of evolution.

Although scientists cannot account for the origin of energy and matter or why the total energy is conserved, the Bible offers an explanation. God alone can truly create. Man can only re-fashion pre-existing materials. Since God has ceased from his creative works (Gen. 2:3), energy can no longer be created. The reason energy cannot be destroyed is because God is "upholding all things by the word of his power" (Heb. 1:3). He preserves and keeps in store his creation (Neh. 9:6; 2 Peter 3:7).

The Second Law of Thermodynamics

After being stunned by the first law of thermodynamics, the theory of evolution is to receive its fatal blow from the second law of thermodynamics. The second law of thermodynamics is known as the Law of Energy Decay: This law can be expressed in several different ways, all of which can be shown to be equivalent. The three most important thermodynamic applications are as follows:

Classical: The energy available for useful work in a functioning system tends to decrease, even though the total energy remains constant.

Statistical: The organized complexity (order) of a structured system tends to become disorganized and random (disorder).

Informational: The information conveyed by a communicating system tends to become distorted and incomplete.

The key point here is that every system left to its own devices tends to move from order to disorder. In other words, the universe is proceeding in a downward, degenerating direction of decreasing organization. Material possessions deteriorate and all living organisms eventually return to dust, a state of complete disorder. Given enough time, all of the energy of the universe will become random low-level heat energy and the universe will have died what is commonly referred to as a heat-death. Small wonder that Sir Arthur Eddington referred to the Second Law as "Time's Arrow," noting that the arrow consistently points downward.

A process that results in a more ordered and complex entity, contrary to the second law of thermodynamics, might be possible but would necessarily be very limited, rare, and temporary in effect. But evolution requires billions of years of constant violations of the second law of thermodynamics if it is to be considered even remotely feasible! Thus, we find that the second law of thermodynamics renders the theory of evolution not only statistically highly improbable, but virtually impossible. In the words of British astronomer, Arthur Eddington: "If your theory is found to be against the second law of thermodynamics, I can give you no hope; there is nothing for it but to collapse in deepest humiliation."' The principle of increasing entropy (increasing disorder and randomness) from the second law of thermodynamics is interpreted by many creationists to be a direct result of the curse placed on creation due to the Fall of man (Gen. 3:17-19); Creationists also believe that the creation will ultimately be released from this bondage to decay and corruption (Rom. 8:18-23).

The second law of thermodynamics constitutes a grave problem for evolutionists, and it is not surprising to find that they usually choose to ignore it. When pressed for an explanation, two arguments are usually given in an attempt to circumvent this law of nature.

The first argument is that the second law does not apply to open systems such as the earth. The argument is that the sun supplies the earth with more than enough energy to offset the loss of energy due to entropy Although this may at first seem to be a reasonable argument, it has two major flaws. First, as Henry M. Morris points out, it confuses quantity of energy with conversion of energy. Naturally there is enough energy to fuel an imagined evolutionary process, but that is not the question. The question is, "How does the sun's energy sustain evolution!" The mere availability of energy does not automatically insure the development of orderly structural growth. Some kind of directional program mechanism is required to transform energy into the energy required to produce increased organization. For instance, a pile of lumber, bricks, nails, and tools will not automatically evolve into a building apart from a directing code, despite the fact that it is an open system receiving more than enough energy from the sun to carry out the job. And remember, a complex building is incredibly primitive compared with even the simplest living cell. Second, there is no such thing as a closed system. Therefore, to argue that the second law is inapplicable to open systems such as the earth is meaningless since all other systems are also open.

The second argument used to reconcile the entropy principle with evolution is that the second law does not apply to living systems. The phenomena of life, admittedly, does appear to exhibit a remarkable contrast to the entropy principle. A seed, for example, develops into a tree and an embryo grows into an adult. However, as Henry M. Morris points out, the growth process is actually not a contradiction of the second law:

The growth process is really only an outworking of the marvelous structure of the germ cell, which has within itself the encoded "information" necessary to assimilate incoming chemicals and gradually build upon itself a structure like that of the parent organism. It does not really constitute an increase of order, but rather an outward manifestation of the marvelous complexity of the genetic system and the environmental energies it is able to utilize.

Thus, we find that life really is not increasing in complexity contrary to the second law of thermodynamics. Rather adult organisms are simply the unfolding, outward expression of the pre-existing order in the genes. The blueprints for the growth and development of the adult organism were already present in the genes of the parents. The origin of life from this pre-existing design in DNA does not present any difficulty for the creationist. The evolutionist, however, finds himself faced with an indomitable problem. How did life begin without the pre-existence of such intelligent order and design? This question must forever haunt the atheistic evolutionist.

It should also be noted that apparent decreases of entropy can only be produced at the expense of a still greater increase of entropy in the external environment. Thus, the entire system as a whole continues to run down as required by the second law of thermodynamics. Furthermore, such processes are only temporary and eventually succumb to death and disintegration. Life forms attempt to postpone the second law of thermodynamics, but entropy eventually wins out. After all, biological systems and processes are merely complex chemical and physical processes, and to these the laws of thermodynamics do certainly apply. Dr. Harold Blum, an evolutionary biochemist, has recognized this fact and writes: "No matter how carefully we examine the energetics of living systems we find no evidence of defeat of thermodynamic principles, but we do encounter a degree of complexity not witnessed in the non-living world."' Thus, we find that the second law of thermodynamics prohibits the possibility of organic evolution. The creation model, however, predicts that the second law of thermodynamics will be operative and is thus, once again, substantiated by the facts of science.

Summary

The two most reliable scientific laws, the first and second laws of thermodynamics, prove that conservation and deterioration are the processes that characterize and direct the physical universe. These facts are in direct contradiction with the expectations and requirements of the evolutionary framework which hopes for a universe which is getting better and better, progressing ever-upward. We conclude with a noteworthy quote from Henry M. Morris:

"... the Second Law proves, as certainly as science can prove anything whatever, that the universe had a beginning. Similarly, the First Law shows that the universe could not have begun itself. The total quantity of energy in the universe is a constant, but the quantity of available energy is decreasing. Therefore, as we go backward in time, the available energy would have been progressively greater until, finally, we would reach the beginning point, where available energy equaled total energy. Time could go back no further than this. At this point both energy and time must have come into existence. Since energy could not create itself, the most scientific and logical conclusion to which we could possibly come is that: "In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth.'"

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