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Re: Ecological Economics and Entropy
In article <327F908E.50E8@ilhawaii.net>,
Jay Hanson <jhanson@ilhawaii.net> wrote:
>Magnus Redin wrote:
>
>-> Jay Hanson <jhanson@ilhawaii.net> writes:
>->
>-> > Here a explanation of how thermodynamics is used in
>-> > ecological economics:
>-> > ------------
>-> > All matter and energy in the universe are subject to
>-> > the Laws of Thermodynamics. In the discipline of
Ecological
>-> > Economics, systems are delimited so that they are
meaningful
>-> > to our economy. What does thermodynamics have to do
with the
>-> > sustainability of food production?
>->
>-> Life works "uphill" and gives matter a higher "order".
It does that
>-> with the help of external energy from the sun and
chemical energy
>like
>-> in volcanic ocean floor vents. That energy is dissipated
and the
>-> overall "disorder" increases. There is plenty of
sunshine to drive
>-> this so plants and animals keep on living.
>->
>-> The same reasoning applies to our technical culture. It
needs
>external
>-> energy to produce things and turn disorder, like trash,
into order,
>-> like usefull products. The more energy we got the easier
it is to
>-> counter "disorder". That is one good reason to
appreciate nuclear
>-> energy since it gives enormous ammounts of energy from
tiny ammounts
>-> of fuel. This works until we run out of Uranium and
Thorium and that
>-> wont happen for millenia.
>
>I won't join the nuke debates, but other than that, we
agree.
>
>You agree, McCarthy agrees, but Harold, dlj, and charliew
>still don't get it. I have other things to do, see if you
>can explain entropy to them.
>
>Jay
Entropy is that increasing disorder between your ears, Jay.
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