Comments on: Capitalism is Against the Law (The 2nd Law of Thermdynamics) Part 1 http://www.feralscholar.org/blog/index.php/2005/02/08/capitalism-is-against-the-law-the-2nd-law-of-thermdynamics/ Making the Connections Wed, 10 Mar 2010 05:10:06 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Juan Jacobson http://www.feralscholar.org/blog/index.php/2005/02/08/capitalism-is-against-the-law-the-2nd-law-of-thermdynamics/#comment-2419 Juan Jacobson Thu, 15 Sep 2005 03:10:33 +0000 http://www.feralscholar.org/blog/index.php/2005/02/08/capitalism-is-against-the-law-the-2nd-law-of-thermdynamics/#comment-2419 Has anyone seen a good commentary on Michael Chrichton's speech, given at Cal Tech? http://www.crichton-official.com/speeches/speeches_quote04.html Has anyone seen a good commentary on Michael Chrichton’s speech, given at Cal Tech?

http://www.crichton-official.com/speeches/speeches_quote04.html

]]> By: Stan http://www.feralscholar.org/blog/index.php/2005/02/08/capitalism-is-against-the-law-the-2nd-law-of-thermdynamics/#comment-29 Stan Fri, 11 Feb 2005 21:52:41 +0000 http://www.feralscholar.org/blog/index.php/2005/02/08/capitalism-is-against-the-law-the-2nd-law-of-thermdynamics/#comment-29 "Capitalism is a frantic race to create order out of entropy as fast as possible." This is not merely wrong, it is spectacularly wrong. Entropy is not a figurative concept, but a physical one... a thermodynamic one. Read <a href="http://jwsr.ucr.edu/archive/vol9/number2/pdf/">Hornborg's 'cornucopia' thesis</a>, then come back and give us something better than your preference for monarchy. “Capitalism is a frantic race to create order out of entropy as fast as possible.”

This is not merely wrong, it is spectacularly wrong.

Entropy is not a figurative concept, but a physical one… a thermodynamic one.

Read Hornborg’s ‘cornucopia’ thesis, then come back and give us something better than your preference for monarchy.

]]> By: Stephen http://www.feralscholar.org/blog/index.php/2005/02/08/capitalism-is-against-the-law-the-2nd-law-of-thermdynamics/#comment-17 Stephen Thu, 10 Feb 2005 07:12:10 +0000 http://www.feralscholar.org/blog/index.php/2005/02/08/capitalism-is-against-the-law-the-2nd-law-of-thermdynamics/#comment-17 Almost by definition, your thesis is wrong. Capitalism is a frantic race to create order out of entropy as fast as possible. And many may argue it does so with a maximum of efficiency. Now, on the other hand, I'll agree that captialism emphasizes quantity over quality, and honestly, I'll take quality any day. Which means I prefer monarchy to capitalism, just for their sense of style. My second choice would be the Catholic church, even though I'm a moderate atheist. Almost by definition, your thesis is wrong. Capitalism is a frantic race to create order out of entropy as fast as possible. And many may argue it does so with a maximum of efficiency. Now, on the other hand, I’ll agree that captialism emphasizes quantity over quality, and honestly, I’ll take quality any day. Which means I prefer monarchy to capitalism, just for their sense of style. My second choice would be the Catholic church, even though I’m a moderate atheist.

]]> By: Stan http://www.feralscholar.org/blog/index.php/2005/02/08/capitalism-is-against-the-law-the-2nd-law-of-thermdynamics/#comment-13 Stan Wed, 09 Feb 2005 13:20:23 +0000 http://www.feralscholar.org/blog/index.php/2005/02/08/capitalism-is-against-the-law-the-2nd-law-of-thermdynamics/#comment-13 Sorry, but this misses the central point that is in the title. This is not a bioological phenomeenon. It is a social one. And by what standard do we measure 'success'? The ability to undermine the material basis of our existence? Read the sections on Malthus, Gould, et al. And read Part2. This is not a primate phenom, it's capitalism. The point on ant farming is taken as a legitimate technical point. I should have specified fire. Sorry, but this misses the central point that is in the title. This is not a bioological phenomeenon. It is a social one. And by what standard do we measure ’success’? The ability to undermine the material basis of our existence? Read the sections on Malthus, Gould, et al. And read Part2. This is not a primate phenom, it’s capitalism. The point on ant farming is taken as a legitimate technical point. I should have specified fire.

]]> By: Comandante Gringo http://www.feralscholar.org/blog/index.php/2005/02/08/capitalism-is-against-the-law-the-2nd-law-of-thermdynamics/#comment-11 Comandante Gringo Wed, 09 Feb 2005 07:53:35 +0000 http://www.feralscholar.org/blog/index.php/2005/02/08/capitalism-is-against-the-law-the-2nd-law-of-thermdynamics/#comment-11 Ants farm fungi and herd aphids. Beaver damn streams and change entire ecosystems. Other animals hoard food, build homes and stashes, etc. in myriad ways which rely on energy flows which are outside the bare biological functioning of the animal itself... The above article's argument implicitly differentiates these 'prior art' examples, from the work and artifice which humans do to use up energy external to their own bodies to 'get ahead' -- but someone please explain to me how that would be TRULY different from the above examples I have given (other than in scale). All of these are examples of species other than humans, exploiting energy externally from their bodies for ultimate beneficiaries: themselves and their families. All are intentional and systematic work -- no matter how single-minded and narrow in focus those little minds are in their efforts. These animals all think in their special way -- and exploit nature in a manner very similar to the way humans do, varying really only in scale and ingenuity and flexibility of method, etc. All I'm positing here is that humanity is simply the most successful of animals; and I am not otherwise detracting from Stan's super-fine analyses! ;> Ants farm fungi and herd aphids. Beaver damn streams and change entire
ecosystems. Other animals hoard food, build homes and stashes, etc. in myriad ways which rely on energy flows which are outside the bare biological functioning of the animal itself…

The above article’s argument implicitly differentiates these ‘prior art’ examples, from the work and artifice which humans do to use up energy external to their own bodies to ‘get ahead’ — but someone please explain to me how that would be TRULY different from the above examples I have given (other than in scale). All of these are examples of species other than humans, exploiting energy externally from their bodies for ultimate beneficiaries: themselves and their families. All are intentional and systematic work — no matter how single-minded and narrow in focus those little minds are in their efforts. These animals all think in their special way — and exploit nature in a manner very similar to the way humans do, varying really only in scale and ingenuity and flexibility of method, etc.

All I’m positing here is that humanity is simply the most successful of animals; and I am not otherwise detracting from Stan’s super-fine analyses!
;>

]]>