Driving Evolution not contradicting it.

A common misconception about the theory of evolution (usually by creationalists) is that it violates the 2nd law of thermodynamics. This is a funny thing to say. If something is a law (in the physical sense) it can't be violated, if something is a theory it explains all known data (including the laws of thermodynamics). The main problem is people don't understand the definition of the 2nd law and that it applies to closed systems. For the question of evolution you must apply non-equilibrium thermodynamics (if and organism was at equilibrium it would be dead in the dark vacuum of space). This requires a restatement of the 2nd law given in the last reference.

Organisms try to reduce the gradient keeping them from equilibrium (though they don't want to reach equilibrium) by dissipating entropy. The prime example is "box" filled with liquid, heated from below and cooled on top. As the difference (or gradient) in temperature is increased (moving the system away from equilibrium) the system begins to organize. Once a critical value of the temperature difference is surpassed the liquid will reorganize into "rolls" to dissipate the heat more effectively. This is the system becoming more organized to counter the push from equilibrium (the heating). So organisms on earth are highly organized "rolls" that take the huge push from the sun and dissipates it. Without a constant push away from equilibrium life (or organization) would not be possible and so in effect the 2nd law predicts the formation of complex systems. I guess it also predicts our tendency to mess and blow things up too ;-)

References:EvoWiki
Life From Thermodynamics