12 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



physical processes of the universe, the result is the same. 

 The tendency is always for energy of every kind to 

 become transformed into heat and for this heat to become 

 equally distributed. We thus find, from actual 

 experience, that there is an universal tendency towards 

 the degradation of energy. It does not matter how big 

 we make the universe so long as it remains finite : this 

 ultimate uniformity of energy-distribution must some 

 time be attained. The picture that we form of the 

 universe is therefore that of a clock running down, or of 

 a weight falling, and of an inevitable cessation of all 

 becoming. Every natural process involving a trans- 

 formation of energy leaves an indelible imprint 

 somewhere on the universe and the state of the latter 

 becomes permanently altered. 



Now if the universe is everywhere the theatre of 

 purely physical processes — and as long as we remain 

 physicists we have no right to assume anything to the 

 contrary — then nothing is more certain than the truth of 

 this conclusion. There is nothing metaphysical in it for 

 it simply represents the results of our experience. Yet 

 nothing is more certain than that this conclusion is 

 erroneous. For the human intellect is incapable of 

 conceiving beginning and we are compelled to assume an 

 infinitely long duration of the universe. It does not 

 matter how slowly the growth of entropy takes place — - 

 there has been infinite time to draw upon for the attain- 

 ment of complete energy dissipation. Nevertheless all the 

 characteristics of the universe are those of diversity, 

 and every star that we see is a focus from which energy 

 is being radiated. We have to conclude then that the 

 second law of thermodynamics is not universally true : 

 that there are tendencies in existence unrecognised by 

 physios which counteract that of the growth of entropy; 



