Is Thermodynamics Subjective?
Thermodynamics is an unusual theory. Prominent figures, including J. C. Maxwell and E. T. Jaynes, have suggested that thermodynamics is anthropocentric, and contemporary approaches label thermodynamics a "subjective theory." Here, we evaluate the arguments for anthropocentrism but conclude that inst...
| Publicado en: | Philosophy of Science Vol. 90; no. 5; pp. 1320 - 1331 |
|---|---|
| Autores principales: | , |
| Formato: | Artículo |
| Publicado: |
Cambridge University Press
Dec2023
|
| Materias: | |
| Acceso en línea: | Ver este registro en EBSCOhost |
| Sumario: | Thermodynamics is an unusual theory. Prominent figures, including J. C. Maxwell and E. T. Jaynes, have suggested that thermodynamics is anthropocentric, and contemporary approaches label thermodynamics a "subjective theory." Here, we evaluate the arguments for anthropocentrism but conclude that instead of pointing to an anthropocentric view, they point towards a resource-relative understanding of thermodynamics which can be shorn of the "subjective gloss." |
|---|