GEO 1111 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Reductionism, Systems Theory, Aspirin

• School: University of Ottawa
• Department: Geology
• Course: GEO 1111
• Professor: Robert Jack Cornett

Document Summary

Reductionist approach: boil things down to their essence, then develop math equations to help explain the phenomenon. Aspirin triumph of the reductionist approach, explained by molecular interactions. There is no equation that predicts earth. Watch analogy (compared to earth): the parts separately do not give an idea of what the whole system can do, the watch as a system all-together does help us know. System : a set of parts that together forms a whole (with surroundings) Energy-in and energy-out are components of a system. Natural system traits: thermodynamically open (mass and energy flows in, through and out, not isolated, disequilibrium (constant state of motion, parts interacting and feeding off each other, just like gears of a watch, beginning and end. The sun and the heat generated by radioactive decay drive the internal dynamics of the earth. Feedback: something that amplifies or suppresses a change.