The Foundation and Imperative of Life: A Thermodynamic Perspective

This paper proposes a unifying naturalistic theory that examines the fundamental nature and purpose of life—not limited to human life but encompassing all living systems. Rather than assuming a strict separation between living and non-living entities, it adopts and extends a continuum perspective, grounding it in thermodynamic principles. From this physical standpoint, lives are understood as complex forms of dissipative structures—a thermodynamic concept introduced by physical chemist Ilya Prigogine. Building upon this understanding of life's foundation and its existential necessity, this study argues that the primary imperative of life is to counteract the natural tendency toward thermodynamic equilibrium, as dictated by the second law of thermodynamics. This perspective offers a rethinking of Hume’s is–ought problem, demonstrating that this imperative arises as an existential necessity rather than a logical leap to “ought” from “is”. The paper applies this unifying framework to various domains, including biology, ethics, and human culture, to validate its coherence and examine its implications. Ultimately, this study presents a new framework for understanding life’s nature and purpose within a broader context.