Survival of the likeliest?
2007

Survival of the Likeliest?

publication

Author Information

Author(s): John Whitfield

Hypothesis

Can natural selection and life itself be explained through the laws of thermodynamics?

Conclusion

The study suggests that living systems may be understood as self-organized systems that maximize entropy production.

Supporting Evidence

  • Living systems may be part of a broader class of complex systems that exist due to thermodynamic principles.
  • Natural selection could be viewed as a process similar to self-organization in physics.
  • Entropy production is a key factor in understanding how living systems operate.

Takeaway

This study looks at how life and natural selection might actually work by following the rules of physics, especially thermodynamics.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1371/journal.pbio.0050142

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