Non-equilibrium Thermodynamics and the Production of Entropy: Life, Earth, and Beyond (Understanding Complex Systems)
Axel Kleidon,Ralph D. Lorenz | 2004-12-22 00:00:00 | Springer | 260 | Weather
The present volume studies the application of concepts from non-equilibrium thermodynamics to a variety of research topics. Emphasis is on the Maximum Entropy Production (MEP) principle and applications to Geosphere-Biosphere couplings. Written by leading researchers from a wide range of backgrounds, the book presents a first coherent account of an emerging field at the interface of thermodynamics, geophysics and life sciences.
Reviews
The authors Kleidon and Lorenz of this book would have had to have known for some time now that the centerpiece of the volume Dewar's supposed derivation (the "MAXENT derivation of MEP) as Grinstein and Linkser have shown is invalid due to mathematical errors or worse. Worse because there is no warning or notice to the reader that this, which is touted in grandiose terms by Dewar and throughout the book (e.g., by Linewever, Chapter 6) as "ground-breaking work is false and misleading. Until these, and other serious errors as well as the gross historical omissions in the book's historical narrative are fixed it should be taken off the market. People are entitled to expect more from a well-know scientific publisher and usually do. As it is it serves to promote a lot of false information.
The volume, to begin with, seems to be little more than a self-promoting work for its core participants in any case. Between them the Editors have their names on nearly a third of the Chapters and one wonders if there was any real peer review at all. Apparently no one of the group actually read Dewar's mathematical derivations on which the book hangs its hat with sufficient care or had the technical ability to see the errors. Same for other elementary mistakes, and the blatant historical omissions by which Dewar and the core group seem to want people to believe that the idea of the law or principle of maximum entropy production (MEP), that explains the relation between physics and biology or the emergence of biological order and evolution of the biosphere, originated with them.
There is even confusion between them as to what is meant by MEP. In the first Chapter Editors Kleidon and Lorenz giving an overview of the book and theory say: "The tendency of systems which are in a steady state, held away from equilibrium by an external input of energy to produce entropy at a maximum possible rate is what we mean by "Maximum Entropy Production" (MEP). But Lineweaver, in his chapter makes no reference to a steady state saying: "The Maximum Entropy Production (MEP) Principle suggests that structures that destroy gradients will arrange themselves such that the maximum amount of entropy is produced (under the given circumstances)". The most glaring technical error (other than Dewar's derivation) is the mistaken view presented by Kleidon and Lorenz of the supposed opposition between Prigogine's theorem of minimum entropy production or "MinEP" which applies in the linear range near equilbriumn and MaxEP or MEP which applies to "steady states...far from equilibrium". This is a very serious error since it means on their view MEP is not a universal principle which completely undermines Dewar's claims in his chapter that "the MAXENT (Dewar's information theoretical) derivation of MEP explains the selection of highly ordered states from disordered ones." Of course his whole derivation is invalid but even if it were valid as a non-universal principle it can't do what he says it does. It can't explain why near equilibrium systems are selected that minimize the rate and away from equilibrium they maximize it. Of course the construal on their part is entirely wrong.
The biq question (above) which they cannot answer (not only because Dewar's derivation is invalid but because Kleidon, Lorenz and Dewar all are making the same mistake regarding minEP) was answered more than two decades ago by Rod Swenson who by 1989 had developed the "Principle of Maximum Entropy Production" (MEP, where the name originated) into a law, the "The Law of Maximum Entropy Production" (MEP, LMEP) which states: "a system will select the path or assemblage of paths out of available paths that minimizes the potential or maximizes the entropy at the fastest rate given the constraints" (see Swenson refs below and also Mahulikar & Harwig Physica Scripta). Unlike the failed view presented in this volume, the actual law as given by Swenson is universal, and there is no conflict between it and Prigogine's theorem; both are true. In addition unlike the invalid "derivation" of Dewar from information theory Swenson's proof is entirely physical, thermodynamical, and demonstrable (reproducible) in Popper's falsifiable sense for true theory testing. Prigogine's theorem, as Kleidon, Lorenz and the others here don't seem to understand says that as a near equilibrium system in the linear range moves towards equilibrium and the `forces" (potentials/gradients) are dissipated the entropy production goes steadily down (being linearly dependent on the forces as we'd expect) with the limiting case being zero entropy production at equilibrium or the steady state as close to it as it can get if one or more of the forces or potentials are fixed. What it does not tell us and does not ask is which paths out of available paths the system will take to get there. And this is the remarkable insight Swenson and colleagues made more than two decades ago and then demonstrated with simple repeatable physical experiments (e.g., see Swenson and Turvey) in the mode of Joule and others in their demonstration of say the first law. By setting up a system with multiple alternative pathways where paths can be easily made available or eliminated for the system to "choose" from they showed that in each and every case the system will select the paths or assembly of paths that brings the system to equilibrium at the fastest possible rate (the LMEP above). Then, coupling this universal principle to Schroedinger's point that ordered states must produce entropy at a faster rate than disordered ones to satisfy the balance equation of the second law, the problem of why order is opportunistically produced from disorder was solved.
And with respect to biospheric evolution as a whole and the "Gaia debate" where Lineweaver opines "a central issue...is whether the biosphere without other biospshere's to compete with, can evolve....However, if...maximum entropy production (is)..used to describe evolution" then the problem is solved." Well, yes, but solved a couple of decadesa ago and articulated in numerous journal articles (refs below) with one entire paper dedicated explicitly to it (Swenson's 1991 paper, "End-Directed Physics and Evolutionary Ordering: Obviating the Problem of the Population of One" ) where at the end in conclusion it says; "The Law of Maximum Entropy Production provides the selection principle that accounts for...evolutionary ordering and obviates the problem of the population of one."
Bottom line, this book is an utter disaster and should be pulled by the publisher and libraries until it minimally contains a very explicit warning or can be re-edited to eliminate the deep technical errors, especially Dewar's derivation, as well as other errors like the editors' elementary misunderstanding of Prigogine's minEP and corrects the remarkable lack of legitimate attributions to the people who have really pioneered and developed this work. Of course that would make it an entirely different book.
Sample Refs.: Grinstein, G. & R. Linsker (2007)J. Phys. A: Math. Theor. 40 9717-9720; Mahulikar, S.P, & Harwig, H. (2004), Conceptual investigation...Physica Scripta, Vol. 70, 212-221;Swenson, R. (1991). End-directed physics...problem of the population of one. In The Cybernetics of Complex Systems, F. Geyer (ed.), 41-60; Swenson, R. (1991). Order, evolution, and natural law...In Cybernetics and Applied Systems, C. Negoita (ed.), 125-148;Swenson, R. and Turvey, M.T. (1991). Thermodynamic reasons.. .Ecological Psychology, 3(4), 317-348; Swenson, R. (1997). Autocatakinetics, evolution, and the law of maximum entropy production, Advances in Human Ecology, 6, 1-46; Swenson, R. (1998). Thermodynamics, evolution... In The Handbook of Comparative Psychology, G. Greenberg and M. Haraway (eds.);Swenson, R. (1999). Epistemic ordering and the development of space-time...Semiotica, Vol. 127 - 1-4 , pp. 181-222; Swenson, R. (2000). Spontaneous Order...Development of Space-Time. Ann. New York Acad. Scien., v. 901, pp. 311-319, 2000.
Reviews
I saw this book reviewed in Nature magazine. It had a rave review there, so I bought a copy. I wasn't dissapointed, this is a reprint of all the seminal papers on the subject of MEP (Maximum Entropy Production). It is a modern version of Schroedinger's famous book - "What is Life".
My only wish is that the book could be a little MORE mathematically complete.
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