Biology Quote by Erwin Schrodinger
“[A living organism] ... feeds upon negative entropy ... Thus the device by which an organism maintains itself stationary at a fairly high level of orderliness (= fairly low level of entropy) really consists in continually sucking orderliness from its environment.”
About This Quote
Source Book: What Is Life? by Erwin Schrödinger, 1944
Organisms sustain low entropy by extracting order from surroundings, maintaining internal organization.
In simple terms: Living things keep order by taking it from the environment.
Preserve order by managing energy flow.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- cellular processes
- ecosystem management
- industrial design
- sustainability planning
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you maintain order in chaotic environments?
- What sources of “order” can you tap into?
Assumes a clear gradient of order, which may not exist in all contexts.