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The process by which information enables energy to produce useful work is fundamental to understand the principles of engineering, and the working of all systems, including human economies. This concept, known as Infodynamics, synthesizes ideas from physics, biology, ecology, sociology and political sciences, and allows us to analyze economies and ecosystems through the lens of complex systems theory.
Infodynamics, Economics, Energy, and Life introduces a holistic empirical perspective of the emergence, evolution and functioning of biological and economic systems. Maxwell s demon in quantum mechanics, singing wales in the oceans, AI programmers, music composers and law writing legislators, all aim to create synergies to increase economic efficiency and sustainability in organisms and society using information. By bridging the gap between information theory and thermodynamics, the book underscores the value of interdisciplinary approaches in addressing complex social phenomena, providing fundamental insights to policymakers, sociologist and any researcher concerned with the future of our bio-social-economic systems.
Infodynamics unveils profound universal patterns, conspicuous among all life forms and all human civilizations. Readers will gain a deeper interdisciplinary understanding of the interplay between information and energy across all dimensions of our world, so as to improve their areas of expertise or even their scientific discipline.
List of contents
Chapter 1: Introduction.- Chapter 2: Maxwell's Approach to Information and Energy.- Chapter 3: Complexity, Entropy, and Information Processing in Physics.- Chapter 4: Divisions in Labor.- Chapter 5: Historical Roots of Infodynamics.- Chapter 6: Emergence, Multidimensional Systems, and Infodynamics.- Chapter 7: Lessons from Human History.- Chapter 8: Emergence of Synergies.- Chapter 9: Conclusion.
About the author
Klaus Jaffe with a research background in chemistry, biology and economics, is Professor Emeritus at Universidad Simón Bolívar (USB), Caracas. He established the International Doctoral Program for Interdisciplinary Science at USB.
Summary
The process by which information enables energy to produce useful work is fundamental to understand the principles of engineering, and the working of all systems, including human economies. This concept, known as Infodynamics, synthesizes ideas from physics, biology, ecology, sociology and political sciences, and allows us to analyze economies and ecosystems through the lens of complex systems theory.
Infodynamics, Economics, Energy, and Life introduces a holistic empirical perspective of the emergence, evolution and functioning of biological and economic systems. Maxwell’s demon in quantum mechanics, singing wales in the oceans, AI programmers, music composers and law writing legislators, all aim to create synergies to increase economic efficiency and sustainability in organisms and society using information. By bridging the gap between information theory and thermodynamics, the book underscores the value of interdisciplinary approaches in addressing complex social phenomena, providing fundamental insights to policymakers, sociologist and any researcher concerned with the future of our bio-social-economic systems.
Infodynamics unveils profound universal patterns, conspicuous among all life forms and all human civilizations. Readers will gain a deeper interdisciplinary understanding of the interplay between information and energy across all dimensions of our world, so as to improve their areas of expertise or even their scientific discipline.
