Physical History and Economics
& Fast Entropy Research Site
Introduction
Physical History and Economics (PHE) attempts to analyze societies in terms of physical constraints and the response of societies to those constraints. After a long search, the most fundamental, universal constraints upon societies was found the be the Principle of Fast Entropy.
The Principle of Fast Entropy strengthens the Second Law of Thermodynamics by assuming that systems tend to configure themselves in a manner to maximize the RATE of entropy production. By doing so, fast entropy can be used to better understand how long processes take as well as how systems become configured. Since societies are systems, models of societies can be constrained and analyzed using fast entropy.
Motivation
The motivation for this research is to develop a deeper, more sophisticated understanding of society in order to develop tools and techniques to better meet the unprecedented challenges faced by human society. In equally ambiguous alternative wording, the motivation is to increase long-term human happiness.
Nature and Description of this Effort
This field is tiny. It is more of a cottage industry than a refined research effort. With analogy to a 19th-century mining region, we're literally the grizzly prospectors on the frontier. If you prefer refinement, return in about 150 years.
This site is not intended for inspirational or philosophical purposes. Thermodynamics is a messy field that lacks the elegance of mechanics and pure mathematics. The-dependent thermodynamics is even worse! Likewise this model of life and society derived from thermodynamics is equally messy.
This site is intended for practical purposes, such as screwdrivers and wrenches are practical tools for certain jobs. Specifically, it is intended to produce a social science capable of meeting the accelerating challenges facing humanity during the next several decades and beyond.
If the material on this site makes you feel bad or unempowered, don't read it. If you believe that human emotions can absolutely control reality, then the material on this site will be of no relevance.
Conversely, if you feel that knowledge leads to empowerment even if it initially causes unpleasant feelings, then please read on.
Fast Entropy and the Proposed e th Law
Fast Entropy is also known at the e th Law of Thermodynamics. It is an extension of the Second Law of Thermodynamics which simply states that "systems will tend to become configured in a manner that maximizes the rate of entropy production", or more roughly, "entropy tends to increase as quickly as possible."
The e th Law of Thermodynamics can be used to develop a physical, invariant social science derived from cosmological tendencies that is applicable on Earth or anywhere in the universe. This science is called Physical History and Economics (PHE). PHE is the primary concern of this site.
The e th Law can be also be used for physical applications such as modeling heat flow, business applications such as modeling business growth, as well as law and policy applications such as practicable resource development legislation.
Some Simple Physics
Many people start to feel a bit of apprehension at the thought of delving into physics. Don't worry! This introduction will just scratch the surface in a few easy steps.
Thermodynamics is an important topic in physics concerning the study of converting heat energy into useful work. A famous principle of thermodynamics is that the disorder of the universe is always increasing. (Physicists use the more precise term "entropy" instead of disorder). This principle is called the Second Law of Thermodynamics.
According to the Second Law of Thermodynamics, heat will not spontaneously flow from cooler to warmer objects. Another consequence is that engines which convert heat energy into mechanical work cannot operate at 100% efficiency regardless of the technology used.
The Second Law of Thermodynamics does allow heat to flow from cooler objects to warmer objects, but only if work is applied to achieve this result. A household refrigerator is an example. Moving heat from cooler to warmer objects decreases the combined entropy of those two objects, but producing the work required for this entropy decrease actually produces an even greater entropy increase in the universe. In the case of a household refrigerator, an increased electric bill is evidence of the work required to operate the refrigerator. So the more you decrease entropy locally, the more you increase the total entropy in the universe.
Strengthening the Second Law
The Second Law of Thermodynamics is generally accepted principle of physics. Few physicists would disagree with it. On the other hand, some biologists have a hard time accepting this concept, for living organisms clearly produce regions of decreased entropy. How can one resolve this apparent conflict?
The answer is that living organisms do produce localized decreases in entropy, but only at the expense of actually increasing overall entropy. The irony is that by decreasing their own internal entropy, living organisms can produce exponential increases in overall entropy. The role of life appears to be a means for the universe to actually reach increased entropy more quickly. If life indeed has this role, then there must be a tendency for the universe to be configured in a way which tends to achieve higher entropy as quickly as possible.
This observation lead to the proposed e th Law—that the entropy of the universe is not merely increasing, but rather is increasing as quickly as possible. Nature is not lazy and casual in eliminating thermodynamic potentials, but will utilize great vigor and creativity to do whenever possible.
The e th Law often results in exponential growth, hence the name "e th" for the transcendental number e.
Implications
Fast Entropy applies to a wide range of phenomena. It explains rates of heat flow, biological reproduction rates, economic expansions and recessions, and human relationships. Fast Entropy can even be used to develop principles of policy development.