Diapositiva 1

1
Enzo Tiezzi Fermare il Tempo Raffaello Cortina
Enzo Tiezzi Steps Towards an evolutionary
Physics WIT Press
Enzo Tiezzi The Essence of Time WIT Press
Enzo Tiezzi Verso una Fisica Evolutiva Donzelli
Editore
2
Steps Towards an Evolutionary Physics
Enzo Tiezzi Department of Chemical and Biosystems
Sciences, University of Siena.
3
Werner Heisenberg Max Planck Gregory
Bateson Francisco Varela Ilya Prigogine
...nos esse quasi nanos gigantium humeris
insidentes, ut possim plura eis et remotiora
videre, non utique proprii visus acumine aut
eminentia corporis, sed quia in altum subvehimur
et extollimur magnitudine gigantea ...we are
dwarves sitting on giants shoulders. Thus we can
see more and farther than them not because we are
taller or have a better sight, but because we are
risen and we profit of their gigantic height
John of Salisbury, XII century, Metalogicon,
III, 4 If I have seen further it is by standing
on the shoulders of giants" Isaac Newton, letter
to Robert Hooke, 1676
4
University of Cadiz Aula Magna May 3 2005 1000 AM
5
MAX PLANCK INSTITUTE - DRESDEN - GERMANY
(HOLGER KANTZ) SCHOOL OF COPENHAGEN DENMARK
(SVEN JORGENSEN) UNIVERSITY OF BRUXELLES
BELGIUM (ILYA PRIGOGINE) WESSEX INSTITUTE OF
TECHNOLOGY - UK (CARLOS BREBBIA) CAMBRIDGE MIT
- USA
6
Conservation without evolution is death.
Evolution without conservation is madness.
GREGORY BATESON
Bateson underlines a fundamental characteristic
of biological evolution and the biosphere.
Cross-fertilization between evolutionary and
conservative aspects is a conditio sine qua non
for life and its maintenance. The First Principle
of Thermodynamics is concerned with conservation,
the Second Principle regards evolution. Time,
oscillation, instability, and chaos are accorded
scientific dignity by the second principle.
At equilibrium, energy and matter are blind far
from equilibrium they begin to see. ILYA
PRIGOGINE
7
in order to understand reality, let us divide it
into parts, as many as possible C A R T E S I
O the whole is more than the sum of its parts
P A S C A L
8
The whole is more than the sum of the parts.

BLAISE
PASCAL
Pascals proposition underlines another
fundamental characteristic of the biosphere and
living systems, tracing the first watershed
between material non-living systems and living
systems. It is contrary to the proposition of
Descartes that scientific knowledge is enhanced
the more the whole is divided into
parts. Descartes approach works for material
non-living systems but not for the living ones.
As pointed out by G.L. Stebbins The systematic
ordering of the basic components or units of any
structure is correlated with similar orders in
other similar structures, enabling the structures
to cooperate in specific functions, e.g. the
synthesis of sugar by photosynthesis. Relational
order helps organisms to carry out chemical
reactions and cause coordinated movement of the
parts (thermodynamics and kinetics).
9
At all levels we observe events associated with
emergence of novelty, that we can in turn
associate with the creative power of Nature. ILYA
PRIGOGINE
Cycles, arrow of time and events represent a new
lexicon for chemistry and physics, which finally
become evolutionary, taking up the challenge of
complexity in an evolving biosphere. Chance and
choice (stochasticity) and the interactions
between them are the basis of a new ecodynamic
science. Quality and quantity are both necessary
for the global description of Nature. Biodiversit
y is the result and the salient property of
biological evolution.
10
The adventure of biological evolution is marked
by chance events and exact choices it is a
stochastic adventure in the etymological meaning
of the word, from the Greek stokazomai to aim
at the target in archery. The arrows are
distributed in an apparently random way around
the bulls eye, but the end of the archer
chooses, as far as he can, the direction of the
arrow the system combines chance with selection
11
As underlined by the palaeontologist Roberto
Fondi Cells differ from other physical systems
by virtue of the increased complexity inherent in
their epigenetic development, or in other words
due to a series of geneses, each of which creates
new structures and new functions. No machine or
inanimate physical system can increase its
complexity as can the simplest living cell.
This means that the information necessary to
assemble proteins, which DNA merely copies, can
only result from the increase in complexity
inherent in an epigenetic process.
12
Roberto Fondi adds that it is impossible to
interpret the living world as a mere
assemblage of objects dominated by the rigid
deterministic dialectic of chance and necessity.
13
Protein function depends only on the
three-dimensional disposition of its amino acids.
Since genes obviously cannot transport the
information necessary for building proteins into
this space (as if writing apricot on a strip of
paper would enable the paper to roll up and
become a real apricot), the enormous quantity of
information necessary for that construction can
only come from the increase in complexity
inherent in an epigenetic process. (Roberto
Fondi)
14
Dyson identifies two origins of histories of
life that of proteins, the hardware of the
computer that physically processes information,
and that of nucleic acids, the sophisticated
software that contains and transmits information.
Life began twice, with different creatures, one
capable of metabolism, the other of
replication. Then they met, perhaps much later,
a long time ago a meeting favoured by chance,
but less improbable than simultaneous origin.
15
According to Dyson, the creativity that unfolds
almost by chance in complicated structures is
more important as a moving force of evolution
than Darwinian competition between replicating
monads.
16
Ecosystems arise and evolve stochastically by
co-evolution and self-organization. They are
complex systems, the components of which are all
interconnected, and they do not obey linear
deterministic laws.
17
As Thomas Khun remarks, the passing of time often
brings anomalies which existing theories are no
longer able to explain. The divergence between
theory and reality may become enormous and a
source of serious problems. This is exactly what
is happening today between current scientific
theories and the natural situation of the planet
K h u n 1 9 7 0
18
It is difficult today to give an account of the
hostility that such an approach was to meet. For
example, I remember that towards the end of 1946,
at the Brussels IUPAP meeting, after a
presentation of the thermodynamics of
irreversible processes, a specialist of great
repute said to me, in substance I am surprised
that you give more attention to irreversible
phenomena, which are essentially transitory, that
to the final result of their evolution,
equilibrium I L Y A P R I G O G I N E 1917
2003 Winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1977
19
Sven Jørgensen underlines that The recent
development in system ecology represents a
paradigm shift. The paradigm that is now receding
has dominated our culture for several hundred
years. It views the universe as a mechanical
system composed of elementary building blocks.
The new paradigm is based on a holistic world
view. The world is seen as an integrated whole
and recognizes the fundamental interdependence of
all phenomena.
20
Evolutionary physical chemistry or ecological
thermodynamics (ecodynamics) is an important step
in the direction of this paradigm shift. The main
laws of classical physical chemistry have to be
revisited at the light of a new time gestalt.
21
In the framework of evolutionary physics we deal
with goal functions instead of state functions,
the ecodynamic models have to be based on
relations evolving in time far from equilibrium
thermodynamics (Prigogine) assumes upon itself
the role of foundation of a new description of
nature.
22
As pointed out by Ilya Prigogine, although
quantum mechanics and general relativity are
revolutionary, as far as the concept of time is
concerned, they are direct descendants of
classical dynamics and carry a radical negation
of the irreversibility of time.
23
On one hand, the use of time-reversible classical
and quantum physical chemistry approaches for
studying matter at the molecular level and the
behaviour of simple molecular systems has greatly
improved man's understanding. On the other hand,
we need new approaches and new time-irreversible
theories able to describe the behaviour of
complex living systems.
24
Far from equilibrium we witness new states of
matter having properties sharply at variance with
those of equilibrium states. This suggests that
irreversibility plays a fundamental role in
nature. We must therefore introduce the
foundations of irreversibility into our basic
description of nature (evolutionary
thermodynamics).
25
A living creature or an ecosystem obey the laws
of biological evolution at any time they are
different from what they were an instant before.
This is the essence of life. In biology and
ecology, reproducible experiments do not exist
26
Biological diversity is the product of long-term
interactions at a genealogical and ecological
level the genealogical interactions regard the
dissipation of Entropy by irreversible biological
processes the ecological interactions regard
Entropy gradients in the environment.
27
I. PRIGOGINE (MOA lecture 1994) Classic laws
of nature are deterministic and
reversible Thermodynamics and Entropy describe
an evolutionary view of nature Entropy means
evolution Irreversible processes, which create
Entropy, distinguish between past and future We
cannot describe nature without making a
distinction between past and future
28
P.T. Landsberg (Nature 1972) 1st law of
Thermodynamics Internal energy exists 2st law
of Thermodynamics Entropy exists I. Aoki
(Ecological Modelling 1990) A system absorbs
negative Entropy from its surroundings A system
is structured by its surroundings. 1st
law formulates the Energy concept. 2st
law formulates the Entropy concept. I. Aoki
(Ecological Modelling 1988) Flows of the
conservative quantities energy and matter The
non-conservative quantity, entropy, also
flows The occurrence of production term or
source term is just the point that differs from
the case of conservative energy and matter
29

• The first law formulates the Energy concept
• The second law formulates the Entropy concept.
• The first law deals with flows of the
  conservative quantities energy and matter.
• The second law deals with flows of the
  non-conservative quantity entropy.

30

• Manfred Eigen (Nobel Prize in Biology) recently
  stated that biological evolution is evolution of
  information, and that the difference between
  chemical and biological molecules lies in their
  information.

31
An energy flow can lead to destruction (increase
in entropy, for example a cannon ball) or
organization (decrease in entropy, for example
photosynthesis). The same quantity of energy can
destroy a wall or kill a man obviously the loss
of information and negentropy is much greater in
the second case. Energy and information are
never equivalent.
32
Entropy has an intrinsic temporal parameter.
Energy obeys spatial and material constraints
entropy obeys spatial, material and temporal
constraints. If history and the succession of
events are of scientific relevance, the concept
of function of state should be revised at a
higher level of complexity. The singularity of
an event also becomes of particular importance
if a certain quantity of energy is spent to kill
a caterpillar, we lose the information embodied
in the caterpillar. But were this the last
caterpillar, we should lose its unique genetic
information forever. The last caterpillar is
different from the nth caterpillar.
33

• Finally if we consider the evolutionary
  transition from anaerobic to aerobic living
  systems, the ratio of energy to stored
  information is clearly different. The information
  that led to an evolution and organization of the
  two types of system is not proportional to the
  flow of energy.

34
According to Boltzmann, the struggle for life is
not a struggle for basic elements or energy but
for the entropy (negative) available in the
transfer from the hot sun to the cold Earth.
35
"How would we express in terms of the statistical
theory the marvelous faculty of a living
organism, by which it delays the decay into
thermodynamical equilibrium (death)? We said
before that it feeds on negative entropy,
attracting, as it were, a stream of negative
entropy upon itself, to compensate the entropy
increase it produces by living and thus to
maintain itself on a stationary and fairly low
entropy level."
E.Schrödinger, "What is Life? The Physical
Aspects of the Living Cells", Cambridge
University Press, Cambridge, 1944
36
Morowitz points out that all biological processes
depend on the absorption of solar photons and the
transfer of heat to celestial sinks. The Sun
would not be a negentropy source if there were
not a sink for the flow of thermal energy.
The surface of the Earth is at a constant total
energy, re-emitting as much energy as it absorbs.
The subtle difference is that it is not energy
per se that makes life continue but the flow of
energy through the system.
H.J. Morowitz, Foundations of Bioenergetics,
Academic Press, New York, 1978.
37
SOURCE
SINK
INTERMEDIATE SYSTEM
According to the Second Law of Thermodynamics
dSss dSint 0
dSss gt 0
whereas the only restriction placed by the Second
Law of Thermodynamics on dSint is that
-dSint dSss
38
5.800 K
5,6 x 1024 joule/yr
3 K
SINK
INTERMEDIATE SYSTEM
SOURCE
NON EQUILIBRIUM SYSTEMS THEORY
39
All biological processes take place because they
are fuelled by solar energy. Morowitz points out
that it is this tension between photosynthetic
construction and thermal degradation that
sustains the global operation of the biosphere
and the great ecological cycles. This entropic
behaviour marks the difference between living
systems and dead things.
40
Thus entropy breaks the symmetry of time and can
change irrespective of changes of energy, being
energy a conservative and reversible property,
whereas entropy is evolutionary and irreversible
per se. The flow of a non-conservative quantity,
negentropy, makes life go and the occurrence of a
negentropic production term is just the point
that differs from analysis based on merely
conservative terms (energy and matter).
41
THE DEATH OF THE DEER
Far from thermodynamic equilibrium m E S -DS Infor
mation
Towards thermodynamic equilibrium m E DS -DSlost
Information lost
ENTROPIC WATERSHED
42
We may conclude that in the far from
thermodynamic equilibrium systems (biology and
ecology) entropy is not a state function, since
has intrinsic evolutionary properties, strikingly
at variance with classical thermodynamics.
43
But if energy and mass are intrinsically
conserved and entropy is intrinsically
evolutionary, how can entropy be calculated on
the basis of energy and mass quantities? This
question is still unanswered and all we can do is
to note that the ecodynamic viewpoint is
different from that of classical physics and
classical ecology
44
Time Series Analysis

• Dynamical systems provide a relevant class of
  time series models.
• Concepts such as dimensions, entropies, Lyapunov
  exponents are nonlinear functions of the
  invariant distribution with precise meaning.
• Many data sets are not deterministic but also non
  linear.
• Markov chain as nonlinear stochastic process is
  an useful model.
• Principal problem previously unobserved events
  cannot be predicted.

Holger Kantz, Max Planck Institute for the
Physics of Complex Systems, Dresden, Germany.
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The Probability Paradox
White and black
46
Event
Oxidation White ?Black
47
Evolutionary Event
Chameleon White, Black ? Yellow
48
Far from equilibrium Thermodynamics
Oscillating reactions Black, White ? Yellow
49
There are chemical systems that show phenomena of
self-organization such as the formation of
stationary spatial structures or periodic
oscillatory states.
50
The BZ oscillating reactions
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LOSS OF WATER..LOSS OF SHAPES
BZ REACTION PERFORMED WITH HIGH CONCENTRATION OF
LIPIDS WATER IS UNDER 70
52
It is clear that the genesis of the shapes in
such medium is deeply connected with the
self-organizing capacity of this chemical system
mediated by the peculiarities of the water
medium in which is performed.
53
Long duration of the evolution of an aqueous
system vastly exceeding distinctive "molecular"
times, the effects of very low concentrations and
electromagnetic fields allows to consider water
and diluted aqueous solutions as self-organizing
systems. At the macro-level, the water
behaviour is related with biodiversity, the core
of biological evolution. We assert that the
action of drugs and medicines is mediated by the
supramolecular structure of water.
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S T R A N G E A T T R A C T O R
S
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BATS
B A T S
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B A T S 2
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BIODIVERSITYS EVIDENCE FROM RECURRENCE
PLOTS IN STRANGE ATTRACTORS AS VOCAL
FINGERPRINT
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Two gibbons of the same species Same
spectrograms but different Recurrence Plots
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TIME IN STRANGE ATTRACTORS RECURRENCE PLOTS OF
GIBBON VOCALIZATIONS
A. Facchini, H. Kantz, E. Tiezzi. Recurrence plot
analysis of nonstationary data the understanding
of curved patterns. Phys. Rev. E, submitted
60
Uncertainty in nature
61
At the instant when position is determined the
electron undergoes a discontinuous change in
momentum. This change is the greater the smaller
the wavelength of the light employed that is,
the more exact the determination of the position.

Thus, the more precisely the position is
determined, the less precisely the momentum is
known, and conversely.
Then according to the elementary laws of the
Compton effect p1 and q1 stand in the relation
1
2
This equation corresponds to equation 1 and
shows how a precise determination of energy can
only be obtained at the cost of a corresponding
uncertainty in the time.
Werner Heisenberg Uncertainty principle
original paper
62
From uncertainty relation between position and
momentum, another relation may be derived. Let v
and E be the velocity and energy corresponding to
momentum px. Then
Where DE is the uncertainty of energy
corresponding to the uncertainty of momentum Dpx,
and Dt is the uncertainty in time within which
the particle (or the wave packet) passes over a
fixed point on the x-axis.
Thus irreversibility of time is not taken into
account.
In the quantum mechanics paradigm time is assumed
to be reversible.
P. Fong. Elementary quantum mechanics.
63
It is now possible to say something about the
width and shape of the resonance absorption line,
which certainly cannot be represented by a Dirac
d function.
First it is clear that, because of the spin
relaxation, the spin states have a finite
lifetime.
The resulting line broadening can be estimated
from the uncertainty relation
And we find that the line width due to
spin-lattice relaxation will be of the order of
1/T1.
A. Carrington, A.D. McLachlan. Introduction to
Magnetic resonance.
64
Both the uncertainty equations are related to the
complex relation between the observer and the
experiment. The first one deals with position and
momentum, the second one deals with energy and
relaxation time. Both the equations assume the
reversibility of time and are valid in a given
instant the momentum is related to the
derivative of space respect to time and the
relaxation time is related to the lifetime of the
elementary particle in the excited state. Both
equations are valid in the quantum mechanics
paradigm and deal with conservative quantities
(mass, energy) and not with living systems or
evolutionary quantities.
65
Space and time are categories belonging to
different logical types, which should not be
confused. By nature, time is evolutionary and
irreversible, whereas the space is conservative
and reversible. A reversible quantity cannot be
differentiated with respect to an irreversible
one.
It is not possible to compare evolving
quantities, such as the life span of the
Einsteins twins, in the framework of reversible
mechanics.
66
If we deal with evolutionary (living) systems we
may introduce a third concept, that of
Thermodynamic Uncertainty
related to the intrinsic irreversible character
of time.
Lets say that a thermodynamic uncertainty arises
from the experimental existence of the arrow of
time and from the experimental evidence that,
during the measurements, time goes by.
Since, during the interval of the experiment
(measurement) time flows, also the conservative
quantities (energy and/or position) may change
leading to a further uncertainty.
67
Recently astrophysics discovered that the mass of
a star is related to the life span of the star
itself. The larger is the mass, the less is the
life span This finding may also be related to
the uncertainty principle. It seems that there is
a sort of uncertainty relation between space and
time, where space is related to mass, to energy,
to the conservative quantities.
68
We may conclude that - In classical science
?geometric rules and mechanistic laws apply
?Newton's laws are reversible deterministic
laws. Prigogine adds and counterpoises the
concept of "events" to "laws of nature" of this
kind. We know that such laws are not true for
living systems, ecosystems, and the events of
biology and ecology.
69
It is also important to underline that Space
is, by its structure, reversible Time is, by its
structure, irreversible
70
Science has given too much space to space,
ignoring time. In history, in human affairs, in
ecology, the role of time is fundamental
memories are certainly more important than
kilometres
71
We may conclude also with the following two
statements by Sven Jørgensen The presence of
irreducible systems is consistent with Gödels
theorem, according to which it will never be
possible to give a detailed, comprehensive,
complete and comprehensible description of the
world. Most natural systems are irreducible,
which places profound restrictions of the
inherent reductionism of science. Many
ordered systems have emergent properties defined
as properties that a system possesses in addition
to the sum of properties of the components the
system is more than the sum of its components. S.
Wolfram (1984) calls these irreducible systems
because their properties cannot be revealed by a
reduction to some observations of the behaviour
of the components.
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