Re: [Fis] Molecular recognition and the foundamental laws of information

Dear colleagues,

As a physicist I would not agree with the symmetry principle as formulated
below. It holds in certain situations, and it breaks in other. The case of
phase transitions is one clear example. The more ordered state is less
symmetric (crystall lattice is less symmetric than liquid, for example).
But at low temperatures the system tends to go into less symmetric state,
which becomes more stable. This is called "spontaneous beraking of symmetry".

As to thermodynamics of molecular recognition, I also disagree that it is
useless. It is just a different kind of thermodynamics, developed by
Leontovich, Kantorovich, Balescu and other prominent people in statistical
physics. It is called "nonequilibrium thermodynamics", and it can actually
be applied at a molecular level given that the number of states of the
system is substantially high. The microscopic version of it, the
nonequilibrium statistical physics, is also quite useful.

I would also be quite sceptical about formulating general principles within
the existing paradigms. In my opinion, to formulate a postulate one needs
to go beyond the existing axioms, paradigms and terminology, otherwise the
statement will be either incorrect or trivial. Lobachevsky geometry does
not exist within Euclidean geometry.

Best, Igor

----- Original Message -----
From: <mailto:marijuan@posta.unizar.es>)>Gyorgy Darvas (by way of "Pedro C.
Mariju�n" <marijuan@posta.unizar.es<mailto:marijuan@posta.unizar.es>)>>)
To:
<mailto:fis@listas.unizar.es>fis-listas.unizar.<mailto:fis@listas.unizar.es>es
Sent: Monday, July 21, 2003 1:03 PM
Subject: Re: [Fis] Molecular recognition and the foundamental laws of
information

Dear Pedro, Dear Shu-Kun, Dear Colleagues,

>"...the symmetry principle: the higher the symmetry, the more stable a
>system will be. Now (only now) we can consider the molecular recognition
>in details because thermodynamics is actually useless for molecular
>recognition consideration. "
>
>It looks a very challenging statement. Does everybody agree with it?
>
>best
>
>Pedro
I agree, although I must add 2 minor remarks.
(1) Thermodynamics works also in the world of molecules. It does not work -
in the proper way as we used to its application in physics - in the case of
such phase transitions, when new higher organisational levels, i.e.,
qualitatively new structures emerge (e.g., a molecule from atoms).
(2) Since the evolution arrows from more symmetric to less symmetric, I
would formulate the above principle: the lower the symmetry, the less
stable a system will be.

Best,
Gyuri

Symmetry Festival 2003 http://www.conferences.hu/symmetry2003/
___________________________________________________________________
Gyorgy Darvas darvasg@helka.iif.hu; h492dar@ella.hu
                        http://www.mtakszi.iif.hu/darvas.htm
S Y M M E T R I O N http://us.geocities.com/symmetrion/ [email protected]
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Received on Tue Jul 22 09:57:13 2003