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On the divide between animate and inanimate.

Arto Annila1, Erkki Kolehmainen2

  • 1Department of Physics, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland ; Institute of Biotechnology, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland ; Department of Biosciences, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.

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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

This study argues that scale-free patterns in nature suggest animate and inanimate objects are fundamentally similar. All systems consume free energy in the least time, driving evolutionary processes across diverse scales.

Keywords:
Free energyLifeNon-determinismScale invariantThe principle of least actionThe second law of thermodynamics

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Area of Science:

  • Thermodynamics
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Systems Science

Background:

  • The historical distinction between animate and inanimate matter persists despite the abandonment of vitalism.
  • Scale-free patterns are observed across various natural systems, suggesting underlying universal principles.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To challenge the perceived fundamental differences between animate and inanimate systems.
  • To propose a unified framework for understanding natural systems based on energy consumption.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of scale-free patterns observed in nature.
  • Application of the principle of 'consuming free energy in least time' (CFLT).
  • Historical review of early 18th-century holistic worldviews.

Main Results:

  • Scale-free patterns provide evidence that the animate-inanimate demarcation is artificial.
  • All systems, regardless of complexity, tend to consume free energy in the least time.
  • Evolutionary processes are driven by the selection of systems that efficiently consume free energy.

Conclusions:

  • A unified view of natural systems, encompassing species, societies, and galaxies, is supported by thermodynamic principles.
  • The principle of consuming free energy in least time offers a new perspective on evolutionary trajectories.
  • Revisiting early holistic theories is crucial for understanding contemporary observations in nature.