The Joy of Why cover image

What Is Life?

The Joy of Why

CHAPTER

The Second Law of Thermodynamics

All things tend towards disorder. That's sort of the second law of thermo dynamics. And an living things are out of equilibrium chemical systems, and so if they weren't alive, they would just sort of decay down back to their disordered ponent parts. Right? So, maybe not super useful to put a sharp boundaryr or to art at necessary and sufficient conditions for life because it seems like we could keep finding exceptions. But on the other hand, it feels like, as you say, its is hard to look for life elsewhere. Like if we're trying to find life on other planets, if we have no concept what we're looking for.

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