It would seem possible to eliminate the information-entropy paradox, as well as others not stated above, if we make the following assumptions:
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(1) Energy can neither be created nor destroyed. This holds true throughout the entire evolutionary history of the universe, although its spatial distribution and form is continuously changing. It can exist as heat, light, work, electricity, chemical processes and mass.
(2) Intelligence can neither be created nor destroyed, and its overall quantity remains constant throughout the universe even though its spatial concentration is continuously changing over time as it discovers innovative ways to relate to matter and energy.
(3) The terms information and intelligence, though not synonymous, can be used interchangeably in any mathematical equation.*...The mathematical relationship of information to entropy is essentially the same as that of intelligence to entropy. An increase in information parallels any increase in intelligence.
(4) Heat entropy represents the dissipation of energy that becomes lost in space and is no longer available for useful work.
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*The similarities and differences between information and intelligence will be discussed later in this chapter.
As the universe has undergone an evolutionary process, the distribution of intelligence and consciousness has been continuously changing. It had a reasonably homogeneous distribution in the very early universe, as did energy. However, as matter-energy began to congregate into separate foci, so did information, intelligence and consciousness. For energy to be able to precipitate out into matter and complex structures, its dissipation into expanding space was required. The apportionment of energy and intelligence was essentially uniform at the moment of creation, and soon thereafter began to become increasingly heterogeneous in its distribution. As matter-energy concentrated into more complex, sophisticated structures, so did intelligence and consciousness. Not only did intelligence concentrate into the same spatial forms as matter-energy, but in all probability directed its distribution. Intelligence is distributed throughout the entire universe, but is concentrated into specific areas and is rarified in others, just like matter-energy.
Assuming that energy and intelligence (consciousness) can neither be created nor destroyed, then what we are witnessing through the evolutionary process is a continual redistribution of both throughout space-time. At the moment of creation all energy was potentially available to perform useful work. As the universe has evolved, much of that energy has been dissipated and lost as far as being available to perform work. In this sense the universe is therefore moving from a state of low entropy to one of high entropy. As the universe unfolds it continues to produce an increasingly greater number of complex systems. Intelligence (consciousness) then continues to concentrate into those systems. The amount of energy and intelligence throughout the universe remains unaltered, but their distribution is continuously changing.
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