GB>[exceptions to entropy increase]
WRE> The latter is not correct. The universe is monotonically
WRE> increasing in entropy. Living systems make entropy increase at
GB>As a whole, yes. Locally, though, there are exceptions.
When one sufficiently restricts the definition of the "local" environment,
yes. In every case where such a definition is applied, there is some
slightly larger "local" environment for which entropy has increased.
However, I don't think that the relevant entities in evolutionary
change, the population of living organisms, constitutes a "local"
environment consistent with thermodynamic usage. Nor is it certain that
the "local" environment of just the bodies of a population of organisms
will ever display an entropy decrease. I can't guarantee that there is
no counterexample, which is the only reason that I don't say that even
that is contraindicated.
Neither of the two alternatives presented originally seemed to me to
fit reality well, which is why I made my objection.
Just to be completely clear, I don't see any reason to suppose that
evolutionary change represents a decrease in entropy of any sort at
all. A monotonically increasing entropy in the universe is completely
compatible with evolutionary mechanisms.
Wesley