Evolution Subject to an Energy Driven Fundamental Time Arrow

Abstract

Adopting a fundamental time arrow in nature, a free energy aiming at decreasing its presence per state by generating a flow of action, as recently derived from the principle of least action, entrains significant consequences for understanding mechanisms in evolution and biology. Simultaneously, the presently favoured statistical, entropic time arrow is tolerated as a limiting case. The entropy law, which self-organized systems follow, is deducible and time reading for feedback processes is functioning at very short time scale during energy turnover, even during build-up of order (decrease of entropy). As a consequence, living systems can self-organize on molecular level and evolution has an aim. This aim is maximizing entropy and thus energy turnover, within given constraints. Genetic mechanisms, here seen as self-organized chemical information handling, had to deal with such a parallel entropy (energy) aim of self-organized living structures and should be considered superposed, adapted to it and controlling it. Since increasing energy turnover is paralleled by an increasing ability of self-organized systems for generating order, this explains evolution towards higher perfection and the trend towards symbiotic energy harvesting. Information as well, which has an energy content, can self-organize within the neuronal structure of the brain and create a higher hierarchy of information handling. It is recognized as consciousness and spirit, which thus can be explained on purely materialistic basis. Evolution towards maximum energy (entropy) turnover as a fate for human civilization, when restraints are further decreasing, is a pessimistic prospect due to unavoidable environmental consequences. However, evolution of spirit is a straightforward parallel consequence and this may be considered the ultimate aim of evolution. The introduction of a fundamental energy driven time arrow as a paradigm change is verifiable via convincing falsification conditions and would revolutionize our understanding of life and human evolution within a significantly more friendly universe.