The Fingerprints of Intelligence. Thermodynamics and Information
Biological information, like that in man-made computers, is a non-material entity. So one cannot expect biological information to be reduced to the biophysics of the molecules that encode it. Rather the exact opposite is the case. Matter and energy do not define the information which the polymers of life contain. The true nature of biopolymers is that they are understood in terms of a top-down approach where information has its definition outside the matter and energy on which it sits. Furthermore the non-material information constrains the matter and energy of the substrate to operate in a highly non- equilibrium thermodynamic environment.
About the speaker
Professor Andy McIntosh DSc, FIMA, C.Math, FInstE, CEng, FInstP, MIGEM, FRAeS holds an Emeritus chair in Thermodynamics at the University of Leeds, England, and has lectured and researched in these fields for over 30 years. He has a PhD in combustion theory from the aerodynamics department of what was then Cranfield Institute of Technology (now Cranfield University), a DSc in Applied Mathematics from the University of Wales and worked for a number of years at the Royal Aircraft Establishment. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications, the Institute of Energy, the Institute of Physics and the Royal Aeronautical Society. A chartered mathematician and engineer, and author of 200 papers and articles, his research has been in combustion in fluids and solids. His work has also included investigations into the fundamental link between thermodynamics and information, and in the last few years he has been involved in research in the area of biomimetics where the minute combustion chamber of the bombardier beetle has inspired a patented novel spray technology.
He now lectures widely on origins, and has authored the books “Genesis for Today” (Day One, 6th Edition, 2017), and “A verse by verse examination of Genesis 1-11” (Day One, 2016) and has contributed to a number of other books including “Wonders of Creation – Design in a fallen world”(co-authored with Stuart Burgess and Brian Edwards, Day One, 2017), “Origins – examining the evidence” (Truth in Science, 2011), “In six days” (Master Books, 2009) and “Should Christians embrace Evolution?” (IVP, 2009). He is co director of the UK education think tank Truth in Science and married with 3 children and 6 grandchildren. He is a Christian and believes strongly that theologically the Gospel only makes sense when one understands that Genesis is essentially a historical record of the beginning of the world, the Universe, the subsequent Fall of man, and the worldwide Flood. All this is underlined in the New Testament such as in Luke 17 and 2 Peter 3.
Andy McIntosh
Professor Emeritus in Thermodynamics at the University of Leeds, England