namaste.

This thread is aimed at trying to locate pointers to their metaphysical counterparts, in the various concepts, theories, laws and applications of science. Members are invited to peruse and discuss the ideas here as well as share their own ideas about such pointers. Since this is going to be just loud thinking about ways to unite the physical and metaphysical, members may freely share their ideas with being too much concerned about the extent of their correctness.

Behind the laws of thermodynamics

The Laws of Theremodynamics are supposed to be final knowledge about the physical world, which knowledge never changes. What do they say?

• The zeroth law states:
If system A and system B are in thermal equilibrium with system C, then system A is in thermal equilibrium with system B.

Thermal equilibrium is achieved when two systems reach the same temperature and cease to exchange energy through heat. Suppose I remove a bottle of water from the fridge and keep it on a table, due to exchange of heat energy between the cold water and the normal atmosphere outside, the water reaches the same temperature as that of the room atmosphere.

‣ Since everything in this universe--biological and material--at their core levels are always in a flux at their energy levels, and such energy in motion being transformed as heat, where is the question of the same energy level remaining at two points in space, if at all for perhaps a nanosecond or less, which time cannot be measured accurately?

‣ Thus two systems remaining in thermal equilibrium and imparting that equilibrium to a third, is at best a logical probability expressed mathematically, than a practical reality, which is always changing.

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• The first law states:
Energy can be neither created nor destroyed. It can only change forms.

This appears more philosophical and spiritual than scientific. It represents the physical substratum of SaguNa Brahman, the Absolute Manifest Truth. This law in effect states that biological and material forms of the energy-particle nexus in the universe arise out of the substratum of absolute physical energy, suffer entropy in course of time and then dissolve back into the substratum. This is apparently the physical equivalent of the spiritual law of karma!

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• The second law says in effect:
When two isolated, nearby systems that are in thermal equilibrium within themselves but not with each other to start with, interact, the resultant entropy would be either an increase or the same, but never a decrease.

The third law states:
As temperature approaches absolute zero, the entropy of a system approaches a minimum.

‣ If the entropy concept of the second law seems to indicates the karmic process of dissolution,

‣ the absolute zero of the third law seems to be the physical equivalent of NirguNa Brahman, which still has the potential, with its kinetic energy at the ground state level called the quantum mechanical zero-point energy, using which it can spring back into manifest living energy forms.

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This concept of purely physical states of entropy, energy levels, energy transformations and their material aggregations does not talk about the universal consciousness behind the whole process, which is why their pointers are ultimately only physical equivalents of their metaphysical counterparts (such as Shakti, SaguNa brahman and NirguNa brahman).

Although only physical aggrgations make up the objective universe, and biological aggregations make uf the subjective living forms,

and both the achetana--insentient, and chetana--sentient, forms of manifestation have an immanent universal consciousness behind them (which is more active in chetana life forms),

science, since its scope is purely physical, can only resolve both these kinds of existence into physical vibrations at their core.

The question that Science needs to address is: how to accommodate the ubiquitous consciousness which is so obvious with all living beings, into its final knowledge of concepts and laws. Knowledgeable members might inform us of any progress made in this area.

Ref:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laws_of_thermodynamics
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absolute_zero