Modern physics, specifically non-equilibrium thermodynamics pioneered by Nobel Prize laureate Illya Prigogine, provides a scientific foundation for understanding living systems. The concept of dissapitive structures is a key element in this view. There are two types of structures: equilibrium and flow dependent ones (dissipative structures). Equilibrium structures do not require energy flow or time to exist. In contrast, the opposite requirements are necessary for flow dependent ones. A sub-cellular metabolic structure, tissue, organism or society is a multidimensional, dynamically interacting aggregate of dissipative structures. The energy that flows into a structure must contain less entropy then that which flows out of it. The entropy of the universe increases.

The health of a flow dependent structure is dependent on how much information (negative entropy) resonates in the structure and how this quantity changes with time. Structures grow by moving further from equilibrium. When a structure reaches a critical point, as it moves towards equilibrium, the structure is abruptly lost. As a dissapative structure moves further from equilibrium, a critical point may be reached that leads to a discontinuity resulting in a a higher degree of organization, in a new structure. A healthy structure must maintain it's level of organization or it must grow. Dynamic steady states have boundaries determined by opposing forces and fluxes.

Far in the evolutionary past cannabinoid receptors appeared in mollusks. They were probably involved in feeding behavior. Their success lead to increased energy flow, and were thus integrated into the evolutionary future. Successful biological paradigms are typically reused. Subsequent evolutionary discontinuities reused the endogenous cannabinoid system. The endogenous cannabinoid system is composed of metabolic pathways that produced the lipid-derived endogenous cannabinoids, arachiadonic acid ethanolamine, 2-glycerol arachiadonic acid, and palmitylethanolamine; receptors that include the CB1, CB2, and vanilloid types,; and degradative pathways that include fatty acid hydrolases, cyclo-oxygenases, lipoxygenases and other catabolic components. On multiple levels, the endogenous cannabinoid system pulls back more aggressive pro-inflamatory pathways with their associated free radical production. Excess free radical production is thought to be the basis for numerous disease states including autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular disease, cancer and aging. There are both anecdotal reports and a sound molecular basis for the use of cannabinoids to minimizes the negative affects of these disease states in terms of both disease progression and symptomatic relief.

The evolutionary process results in increasing levels of organizational flow with consciousness appearing to be the most advanced state. Clearly cannabinoids have a profound influence at this level. The dynamic balances of opposing forces maintains the average values associated with a flow dependent structure. Hardwired linkages versus disorder represents an example of such a balance with regard to basic to thinking patterns. Growth and learning are embodiments of evolutionary principles. Completely hard wired constructs can not grow or learn, but randomness lacks information. Learning builds on the past, but the interface with the future must have sufficient variability to mate with the future and extract sufficient negative entropy to maintain or build a structure. The THC receptors regulate this process as exemplified by the impaired short-term memory associated with cannabis use. Knockout mice that lack CB1 receptors are afraid of newness (as measured by stress resulting from positional change). Their balance moves towards being more hardwired. In contrast, creativity is intrinsically linked to embracing newness.

Cannabinoid controlled organizational levels extent from the feeding behavior of mollusks to man's intellect. A characteristic of flow dependent structures is feedback hence, feedback will occur not only within a structure, but between interacting ones. This characteristic suggests that the cannabinoid system of the mind communicates with cannabinoid based structures at lower organizational levels. Essentially, the endogenous cannabinoid system is a master homeostatic mechanism and in fact, provides for the mind body link.

Any population of cells, thoughts, organisms or species well represent a dynamically changing balance of these opposing tendencies as parts of the continuous process of creation.