The Second Law as a Cause of the Evolution

TL;DR

This paper proposes that the second law of thermodynamics can lead to the spontaneous emergence of complex systems and life, driven by probability and statistical mechanics, challenging the notion of inevitable heat death.

Contribution

It introduces a thermodynamic framework explaining how high occupation number systems can develop complexity and information, offering a new perspective on the universe's evolution.

Findings

High occupation number systems produce power-law energy distributions.

The second law can increase information, not just entropy.

Complex systems and life may emerge naturally from thermodynamic processes.

Abstract

It is a common belief that in any environment where life is possible, life will be generated. Here it is suggested that the cause for a spontaneous generation of complex systems is probability driven processes. Based on equilibrium thermodynamics, it is argued that in low occupation number statistical systems, the second law of thermodynamics yields an increase of thermal entropy and a canonic energy distribution. However, in high occupation number statistical systems, the same law for the same reasons yields an increase of information and a Benford's law/power-law energy distribution. It is therefore, plausible, that eventually the heat death is not necessarily the end of the universe.