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...
| Published in: | Philosophy of Science Vol. 90; no. 5; pp. 1320 - 1331 |
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| Main Authors: | , |
| Format: | Article |
| Published: |
Cambridge University Press
Dec2023
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | View this record in EBSCOhost |
| Summary: | 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." |
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