Porteus' theory of happiness

In human thermodynamics, the Porteus' theory of happiness, developed beginning in the 1930s by American writer and philosopher Elizabeth Porteus, states that since the second law of thermodynamics is seen, in some forms, as a “law of disintegration”, meaning that complicated arrangements always break down into less complicated ones”, a state of happiness in life will ensue when one follows the "impulse of integration". [1]

Thermodynamic happiness theory
In her 1987 book My Twentieth Century Philosophy, Porteus outlines the view that since, according to generalized colloquial point of view, the second law of thermodynamics is a “law of disintegration”, meaning that complicated arrangements always break down into less complicated ones”, a state of life happiness would occur when one aligns themselves with the force or “impulse of integration” in unison with the current of creation or growth of structure and form as seen in evolution.

By “creative”, Porteus refers to not only what is commonly considered creative such as “painting pictures, making music, writing books, making pottery or making art of any kind,” but also to “any impulse to create a new integrated arrangement of the elements of reality”, such as “making new arrangements of words, colors, musical notes, or ideas”, “joining together small things, or big things, or “joining together inanimate elements, or it might be joining together living ones.” In relation to people, Porteus states that creation may refer to “joining together people into new groups or in organizing groups into bigger groups, or in organizing better the groups that already exist, or as in trying to work out better laws. Likewise, it might be “in joining ourselves to what is in the world by learning about it”, “joining with other people in sex, friendship, or love”, or something as simple as “cleaning out a drawer or mopping the floor”. [2]

References
1. (a) Dole, Elizabeth P. (2005). “Life, the Second Law of Thermodynamics, and Happiness, Journal of Human Thermodynamics, Vol. 1, Issue 3. (pg. 21-26). October. Chicago: Institute of Human Thermodynamics.
(b) Porteus, Elizabeth, D. (1987). My Twentieth Century Philosophy. New York: Carlton Press, Inc.
(c) Thims, Libb. (2007). Human Chemistry (Volume Two), (preview), (pgs. 518, 664). Morrisville, NC: LuLu.
2. Porteus, Elizabeth P. (1999). The Porteus Philosophy of Life: The Secret of Happiness, (Nov. 14). Hawaii: Porteus Family Publishing.



Sadi-Carnot
Sadi-Carnot
Latest page update: made by Sadi-Carnot , Jan 17 2008, 2:20 AM EST (about this update About This Update Sadi-Carnot stub page - Sadi-Carnot

401 words added

view changes

- complete history)
More Info: links to this page

There are no threads for this page. Be the first to start a new thread.

Anonymous  (Get credit for your thread)


Related Content

  (what's this?Related ContentThanks to keyword tags, links to related pages and threads are added to the bottom of your pages. Up to 15 links are shown, determined by matching tags and by how recently the content was updated; keeping the most current at the top. Share your feedback on Wetpaint Central.)