This is a follow-up post on the recent post on the origin of life in dissipative structure. It is more detailed and traces the history of the concept, but still it is easily accessible without knowledge of the field. There's also a link to Jeremy England's paper for those who would like to look deeper.
Quanta Magazine
A New Physics Theory of Life
Natalie Wolchover
(h/t Yves Smith at Naked Capitalism)
There is another possibility paralleling a physical thermodynamic theory of life, if I may?
ReplyDeleteOn the outside, looking out into the ‘observable universe’ we are limited in space by Time (the light hasn’t arrived yet). Scientists were surprised to find cosmic radiation emitted at the time of their theoretical ‘big bang’ flat, suggesting that the actual universe has no end – they are sitting mulling that one!
Imagine someone, born on this earth with a peculiar gift – troubling at first as they wonder and wander around the planet.
One day, sitting down on a hill, far above their village below, they go inside. Attention is withdrawn from the senses; the mind settles down and is QUIET! From the heart emerges an all-encompassing feeling of peace and well-being. The consciousness that is this person rises far beyond the confines of the planet, further than the stars above all of the metaphysical street lamps – the sheath of the human persona left far behind. At one point in this ascension, a frightening vision appears, embodying all of the negativity extant in the world, to which he/she is still susceptible. A wave of Love arises from the heart of the participant and the vision is dissipated, the ring-pass-not bridged, the door opened.
Far above shines an infinite (whatever that means) BEING. Aspects of its nature are Will, Love and Intelligence on a plane far above their atomic expression in a human. There is nothing else – it is as any human son would express – Father! The prodigal son returns home. Love is understood.
This Father, this Consciousness, Energy, Life, Being is everything. Yes there is consciousness in the atom – all so-called physical, astral, manasic, buddhic, atmic ,monadic and spiritual essence is the same – just differentiated. There is no theory of Life – just BEING!
Returning to the hill and his/her human persona, our someone notes how busy busy busy are the villagers below: as Kabir says ‘the fish are thirsty in the Ocean …..’ Like in a market place where everybody is looking for something, and will it suit them …..? Is this what I want? Death whispers in their ear.
Just as good a story as thermodynamics is it not?