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Steven Polgar
In anthropology thermodynamics, Steven Polgar (1931-1978) was a Hungarian-born American anthropologist noted for his 1961 article “Evolution and the Thermodynamic Imperative”, in which, building on the 1959 thermodynamic imperative postulate of American physicist Robert Lindsay, he outlined his thoughts on ‘entropy retarding’ and ‘availability of energy’ aspects of living systems in the development of cultures and in the actions of information transmissions through generations. [1]
Overview
In particular, Polgar argued that persistence (perpetuating mechanism), replication (chromosomal autocatalysis), environmental modification (by a living organism), and structuring (e.g. building villages or “purposeful replication of available energy for future use”), are each entropy reducing processes or, as he called them, “entropy retarding”. In respect to Lindsay’s thermodynamics imperative, Polgar argues that:
In conclusion, Polgar reasons that our chances of survival or the chances of “life-somehow-related-to-life-as-we-know-it surviving” if we recognize the thermodynamic imperative and modify our actions or act based on it. [2]
References
1. (a) Polgar, Steven. (1961). “Evolution and the Thermodynamic Imperative”, Human Biology, pgs. 99-109.
(b) Steven Polgar (1931-1978) – eMuseum at Minnesota State University, Mankato.
2. Hammond, Dick K. (2005). The Human System from Entropy to Ethics (pgs. 14-15). Publisher: Dick Hammond.
Overview
In particular, Polgar argued that persistence (perpetuating mechanism), replication (chromosomal autocatalysis), environmental modification (by a living organism), and structuring (e.g. building villages or “purposeful replication of available energy for future use”), are each entropy reducing processes or, as he called them, “entropy retarding”. In respect to Lindsay’s thermodynamics imperative, Polgar argues that:
“The thermodynamic imperative itself may have undergone evolution, from unconscious adaptations of infra-human organisms, through the development of exosomatic culture by which stores of information can be transmitted to subsequent generations and otherwise distributed, to scientific descriptions of evolution and the deliberate attempts to increase the availability of energy for survival and the enjoyment of life”.
In conclusion, Polgar reasons that our chances of survival or the chances of “life-somehow-related-to-life-as-we-know-it surviving” if we recognize the thermodynamic imperative and modify our actions or act based on it. [2]
References
1. (a) Polgar, Steven. (1961). “Evolution and the Thermodynamic Imperative”, Human Biology, pgs. 99-109.
(b) Steven Polgar (1931-1978) – eMuseum at Minnesota State University, Mankato.
2. Hammond, Dick K. (2005). The Human System from Entropy to Ethics (pgs. 14-15). Publisher: Dick Hammond.
Sadi-Carnot |
Latest page update: made by Sadi-Carnot
, Nov 14 2008, 1:08 PM EST
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