Entropy - Times Arrow - looking for a book

Quinny · Intermediate Crude Joined: Jul 03, 2008 Posts: 594

Anyone out there know the Author or ISBN no of the above.

I read it about 25 years ago and found it fascinating. The author basically expanded second law to encompass all sorts of interesting areas. eg Social Science, Town Planning, Crime etc

Basically taking that all communication transforms energy, so the more energy used, the more waste/less useful energy. So basically large scale industrialisation and cities cause human fallout as well as pollution.

I bought it, but someone I lent it to didn't return it.

albente · Light Sweet Crude Joined: Aug 20, 2004 Posts: 1361

Quinny · Intermediate Crude Joined: Jul 03, 2008 Posts: 594

Wasn't me - Honest!

Kaj · Heavy Crude Joined: Dec 06, 2006 Posts: 397

Heya, yeah I read it, it was okay, but there were the usual problems associated with trying to bungle everything into one neat theory.

His premise was basically that with every technological advance we are actually unwittingly taking a step backwards because every added layer of complexity speeds up the rate of entropy.

AFAICT it works for a lot of things, but not everything--because sometimes technological advance can make systems less complex. E.g. advances in information storage and transmission do mean that we are able to use less and less energy for these functions, while they are also expanding in capability.

Quinny · Intermediate Crude Joined: Jul 03, 2008 Posts: 594

point taken, my recollection is that it wasn't just complexity, but more a matter of scale and volume.

i recall the main idea being the more we do the quicker the end.

i cant remember the whole book, but found it interesting.

btw do you recall the authors name

jeremy something has just sprung to mind.

lper100km

How's this?

http://www.foet.org/books/entropy.html

Quinny · Intermediate Crude Joined: Jul 03, 2008 Posts: 594

Thats the one thanks very much!! Smile

untothislast

I remember the book well. Great read, until he starts going off on a religious tangent during the latter part.