Crap! You are right. I said it backwards.
When entropy is low … i.e., when there is a particularly steep gradient in some part of the universe, Nature contrives a means for INCREASING that entropy and that means, paradoxically, is to DECREASE entropy in some localized portion of the universe in order to more efficiently INCREASE it over all.
I HATE when that happens.
Nick
From: [hidden email] [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Russ Abbott
Sent: Thursday, August 05, 2010 12:05 AM
To: The Friday Morning Applied Complexity Coffee Group
Subject: Re: [FRIAM] entropy and uncertainty, REDUX
Nick, Good to hear from you. Nice description of entropy in animal behavior!
I agree with pretty much everything you say. I'm concerned about this sentence, though.
When entropy is low … i.e., when there is a particularly steep gradient in some part of the universe, Nature contrives a means for reducing that entropy and that means, paradoxically is to INCREASE entropy in some localized portion of the universe in order to more efficiently decrease it over all.
By a particularly steep gradient, I assume you mean any sharp change of some property. The gradient is in some property--not any particular property, and especially not necessarily in entropy.
I'm guessing you meant to say that Nature contrives a means for increasing that entropy. (You did say it started out low. I agree with that. Smoothing out the gradient would increase the entropy.)
That would increase entropy locally and globally.
-- Russ
On Wed, Aug 4, 2010 at 7:04 PM, Nicholas Thompson <[hidden email]> wrote:
energy
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