WT Literature and the Second Law of Thermodynamics

by VM44 9 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  VM44

  I was using the 1995 WT Library CD-ROM to try and find
  instances where the Second Law of Thermodynamics is
  mentioned in WT literature.

  Guess what?

  I didn't find any mention whatsoever of it!!!!

  I find this strange, the WT does make use of the argument that
  the existence of the "Laws of Nature" implies the existence
  of a "Lawgiver", but then they make no mention by name of this
  most fundamental law.

  It used to be said that reading the Awake magazine gave one the
  equivalent of a college education. What sort of "college education" is it where one has never heard mention of the basic laws of
  physics?

  Does anyone have an idea why the 2nd law has not been mentioned
  in the WT literature?

  --VM44
• 

  TheOldHippie

  It is mentioned and discussed in many articles, but it is just that it has not been dealt with as a topic of its own. Reading the articles you will find under subheadings Evolution, Creation, Darwinism etc., will yield numerous references to the Law.
• 

  freeman

  I believe what the old hippie is saying here is correct.

  I would not expect to find an article devoted to various aspects of physics or in this case the second law of thermodynamics in and of itself within the pages of the Watchtower or Awake. However I do recall some mention of it [thermodynamics] relating to trying to disprove some aspect of evolution.

  I have an opinion on this subject and you can take it for what it’s worth. The arguments used by some who seem adept at misapplying the laws of thermodynamics (such as the WTBTS) do not support the existence of God as such. However the other side should not take to much comfort in this fact, as these laws don’t disprove the existence of God either. Using the laws of thermodynamics to prove or disprove the existence of God is a “quantum” leap of faith at best (pun intended!).

  Do I know what I am talking about? I did work in one of NASA’s physics labs for some years so I am not totally ignorant of the subject, a bit of the eggheads wisdom must have rubbed off on me, I hope. However, I make no pretences at being an expert in this field; I’m not a physicist by training. The existence of God is non-falsifiable; therefore his existence or non-existence remains a matter of faith, not science as it should be.

  Just my two cents and viewpoint.

  Freeman
• 

  ros

  Here are a couple of quotes I found in WT and G:

  *** w61 7/1 391 Born to Believe in God ***
  Zoologist Edward Luther Kessel reveals some interesting facts about a law of thermodynamics, the law of entropy as it is often called. Kessel says: "The law of entropy states that there is a continuous flow of heat from warmer to colder bodies, and that this flow cannot be reversed to pass spontaneously in the opposite direction. Entropy is the ratio of unavailable to available energy, so that it may be said that the entropy of the universe is always increasing. Therefore the universe is headed for a time when the temperature will be universally uniform and there will be no more useful energy. Consequently there will be no more chemical and physical processes, and life itself will cease to exist. But because life is still going on, and chemical and physical processes are still in progress, it is evident that our universe could not have existed from eternity, else it would have long since run out of useful energy and ground to a halt. Therefore, quite unintentionally, science proves that our universe had a beginning. And in so doing it proves the reality of God, for whatever had a beginning did not begin of itself but demands a Prime Mover, a Creator, a God."

  *** g83 3/22 14 Evolution, Creation, or Creationism-Which Do You Believe? ***
  First, the Bible says that God is the source of life. (Ps. 36:9) Life did not arise and cannot arise spontaneously from lifeless material. This is in complete agreement with scientific laws and experimental tests. The laws of statistics, the law of entropy, calculations from thermodynamics and kinetics all converge on the conclusion that spontaneous generation of life cannot occur. Older reports of spontaneous generation are given no credence since the experiments of Pasteur. In controlled experiments, it just does not happen. Examination of soil from the moon and chemical tests on the surface of Mars verify that life has not arisen on those planets.

  
  Ros
  "A religion that teaches lies cannot be true"--The Watchtower, 12/1/91 pg. 7
• 

  Erich

  VM44:
  

  ..I find this strange, the WT does make use of the argument that the existence of the "Laws of Nature" implies the existence of a "Lawgiver", but then they make no mention by name of this most fundamental law....

  
  There is indeed a provable law existing in the universe directed against (overruling!) the Second Law of Thermodynamics. I have called it "auto-adaptation tendency"; and you can find it on my page THE ULTIMATE TECHNOLOGY, (US-Patent Nr.: US6172941)
  see:
  http://www.sensortime.com/time-e.html
  
  (You can find the "auto-adaptation theorem" on the last three pages of the description)
  
  If there would be not such an "auto-adaption-tendency" existing in the universe, you could not LIVE a tiny millisecond;-)
• 

  SYN

  Reading the Awake used to give you the equivalent of a college education

  I'd love to see the faces of all of the poor JWs who were convinced not to go to college during 1970-1975, and who now work as burger flippers at McDonalds.

  As for your question:
  

  What sort of "college education" is it where one has never heard mention of the basic laws of
  physics?

  Answer: Psychiatry.

  "I see no good reasons why the views given in this volume should shock the religious sensibilities of anyone." -- Charles Darwin, The Origin Of Species, 1869.
• 

  Nathan Natas

  Hey Kids, try this really neat experiment with "Watchtower Thermodynamics"!!

  In your home laboratory, measure the amount of energy liberated when Watchtower publications burn.

  That's right! The amount of energy liberated is LESS than the amount of energy that went into growing the tree, cutting it down an d turning it into a book!!

  Be sure not to cook anything over a Watchtower fire - it will have a foul taste!
• 

  Nathan Natas

  VM44 -

  Instead of using the CD index, use your computer's "FIND" or "SEARCH" function to locate files on the CD which CONTAIN the word THERMODYNAMICS. The search will take a fairly long time, but it should return every article that mentioned the word.
• 

  freeman

  I love this line, and I remember being told this too:

  “Reading the Awake used to give you the equivalent of a college education”

  Oh yes the same Awake, or was it its predecessor, that said there were no such thing as germs and that Louis Pasture and his germ theory was a fake.

  Yes, we have so much to thank the WTBTS educational system for. You know them, the citadel of higher education, don’t you? They are also known as the “Phi-beta-u-want-fries-with-that” alumni association.

  Freeman (shaking his head, thinking of the ruined lives)
• 

  jerome

  what are their views on education now

  i know alot of jw that are going to colledge

  well they arent baptized as yet

  so what is it now