Professor Eddington has recently remarked that 'The law…
“Professor Eddington has recently remarked that 'The law that entropy always increases - the second law of thermodynamics - holds, I think, the supreme position among the laws of nature'. It is not a little instructive that so similar a law [the fundamental theorem of natural selection] should hold the supreme position among the biological sciences.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The second law of thermodynamics is a fundamental, universal principle, analogous to natural selection's role in biology.
In simple terms: Entropy's law is supreme; so is natural selection.
Recognize universal principles across sciences.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- physics lectures
- biology courses
- interdisciplinary research
- policy making
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What makes a law 'supreme' in a field?
- How do physical laws inform biological understanding?
Complex systems may not fit simple analogies.