Definition
Life as energy processing treats living systems as organized structures that capture, channel, and dissipate energy while maintaining local order.
Why It Matters
Life is a “flare” in the dark of entropy. By viewing living systems as energy processors, we see that our existence depends on capturing and channeling flow, providing a fundamental thermodynamic lens for identifying life across the universe.
Core Concepts
- Life depends on free-energy sources such as sunlight or chemical gradients.
- Metabolism is central to biological persistence.
- Searches for life look for disequilibrium and energy flow.
- Living order is compatible with thermodynamics.