Entropy in crystalization: up or down?

In "The Second Law of Thermodynamics, Evolution, and Probability,"
Frank Steiger writes:

"Failure to understand that in thermodynamics probabilities are not
fixed entities has led to a misinterpretation that is responsible for
the wide- spread and totally false belief that the second law of
thermodynamics does not permit order to spontaneously arise from
disorder. In fact, there are many examples in nature where order does
arise spontaneously from disorder: Snowflakes with their six-sided
crystalline symmetry are formed spontaneously from randomly moving
water vapor molecules. Salts with precise planes of crystalline
symmetry form spontaneously when water evaporates from a solution.
Seeds sprout into flowering plants and eggs develop into chicks."

In "Thermodynamics vs. Evolutionism," Timothy Wallace responds:

"The "order" found in a snowflake or a crystal has nothing to do with
increased information, organization or complexity, or available energy
(i.e., reduced entropy). The formation of molecules or atoms into
geometric patterns such as snowflakes or crystals reflects movement
towards equilibrium-a lower energy level, and a more stable
arrangement of the molecules or atoms into simple, uniform, repeating
structures with minimal complexity, and no function. These are not
examples of matter forming itself into more organized or more complex
structures or systems (as postulated in evolutionist theory), even
though they may certainly reflect "order" in the form of simple
patterns.

Steiger fails to recognize the profound difference between these
examples of low-energy molecular crystals and the high-energy growth
process of living organisms (seeds sprouting into flowering plants and
eggs developing into chicks). His equating these two very different
phenomena reveals a serious misunderstanding of thermodynamics (as
well as molecular biology) on his part, and he perpetuates this error
in the balance of both his essays, as we shall see.

[...]

Steiger's blurring of the distinction between these two phenomena can
logically be attributed only to either indefensible ignorance or a
willful misrepresentation of the facts."

I can't figure it out either way. The questions on my mind are: Does
crystallization represent a decrease in entropy or no? I think it does
and Wallace is incorrect, but not sure. Does it represent an increase
or decrease in *energy?* And does the 2nd law make any statement about
organization, complexity, organized complexity, etc? Thanks for any
help. Can someone recommend me a rescource on thermodynamics that
would give me the answer?

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Entropy in crystalization: up or down?
    ... "Failure to understand that in thermodynamics probabilities are not ... Salts with precise planes of crystalline ... (i.e., reduced entropy). ... structures with minimal complexity, and no function. ...
    (talk.origins)
  • Re: Entropy in crystalization: up or down?
    ... "Failure to understand that in thermodynamics probabilities are not ... Salts with precise planes of crystalline ... (i.e., reduced entropy). ... structures with minimal complexity, and no function. ...
    (talk.origins)
  • Re: Entropy in crystalization: up or down?
    ... "Failure to understand that in thermodynamics probabilities are not ... Salts with precise planes of crystalline ... (i.e., reduced entropy). ... structures with minimal complexity, and no function. ...
    (talk.origins)
  • Re: Turbulent transition for fluids
    ... state of low entropy on its own. ... We're used to thinking of systems in terms of pure thermodynamics (a ... reduces to the compression of information. ... the system has a computational complexity of zero (there is ...
    (sci.physics)
  • Re: Ludwig Boltzmann, entropy
    ... I know that the molecules aren't going in the ... >> In non-equilibrium thermodynamics we deal with the production ... >> The Boltzmann definition of entropy is quite OK for equilibrium ... Check, energy has been conserved. ...
    (talk.origins)