The End of ( Traditional ) Emergence : Introducing Reactive Emergence
3.7 Is there Anything Except Physics ?
Fodor asked , “ Why is there anything except physics ?” My answer : there is
nothing but physics — unless you consider chemistry , biology , etc . as separate . What do I mean by that ? The fundamental ( and only ) forces in the universe are the forces of physics . Nevertheless , as our examples show , there is more to the world than the forces of physics .
Physics explains how things can come together to create compound entities . It provides the binding mechanisms for building less mass — that is , static — emergent phenomena . This mechanism , along with ( a ) the relative densities of materials found on earth and ( b ) the history of the solar system , has produced a planet that consists of an inner core , an outer core , a molten mantle , and a crust , which includes tectonic plates , which float on the mantle . As the tectonic plates move , they store energy as stress , which is released in earthquakes . Geysers and volcanoes also release geologically stored energy . Once we know that our planet is organized this way , it makes sense to study its properties — for example , how tectonic plates move and what happens when they bump into each other . Considering all the phenomena in the universe , this is a very specialized study — and one that is not conducted at the level of elementary particles . Although we call this study geology , it is really a specialized area of physics .
We tend to think of physics as the study of processes that move toward equilibrium — with a concomitant increase in entropy . However , the processes we find most interesting are those that accumulate , store , and later release energy . ( Entropy increases even when energy is being stored .) These processes tend to be more dramatic or more useful ( to us )— often both . As just noted , geology provides many examples .
On a much grander scale , gravity compresses mass into black holes , which release energy as Hawking radiation . More relevant to us , gravity compresses space gas and dust into stars , which release energy in nuclear reactions . That nuclear energy becomes available on earth as solar radiation ( sunlight ), one of whose clients is our weather system . Evaporation moves water from the surface of the earth to high in the atmosphere — thereby creating significant stored energy . When released , the result includes rivers , which among other things carve canyons in stone . This system is also essential for moving massive amounts of water from one place on earth to another .
When we turn to life , adenosine triphosphate ( ATP ) often called the energy currency of life , stores chemical energy . It provides energy for the self-management processes that keep living things alive . Living things also store energy as glycogen , fat , and maple syrup .
These mechanisms are also based on physics . Does it matter whether we call them physics or use names that are more specialized ?
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