In existographies, Wenyuan Niu (c.1950-) (SNE:5) (CR:14), Wen-Yuan Niu or W.Y. Niu, is a Chinese scientist noted for his 2001 to present social physics and social mechanisms of social stability theories.
Niu's work has been influential to Miao Ning and Jifa Ju and their 2009 activation energy theory of social transformation. [1]
Social combustion theory
In 2001, Niu proposed a "social combustion theory", which supposedly carries a "reasonable analogy between the natural burning phenomena and social disorder, instability and turmoil", the 2009 abstract form of which is as follows: [2]
“Social Harmony Equation (SHE) leads the social system to the evolution direction of social by accumulation of “social combustion substances”, i.e., the accumulation of microcosmic entropy increase “basic particles” (individual) in social system from assimilated “basic social energy” to dissimilated one; meanwhile, the catalysis of “social combustion promoter” (social excitation energy) has enhanced the “social temperature” of disordering process of social system and completed the energy accumulation of social entropy increase that can generate the transition. Finally, ignited by the “social trigger threshold”, the social system has completed the abrupt change from orderliness to disorderliness. The continuous variation of the above-mentioned three basic non-linear processes has jointly composed the whole contents of social combustion theory. Under the restriction of such conditions of different time (t), different space (α) and different scale (β), it is finally explained as a comprehensive dynamics of social system deterioration.”
In 2013, Chinese physicist Yi-Fang Chang sited Niu's social combustion theory. [3]
Education
In 2011, Niu was listed as adviser to the Chinese state council, chief scientist at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and director of the Chinese Ecological Economics Society. [3] He also is listed as a sustainability scientist. (Ѻ)
See also
● Chinese school of social physics
References
1. Ning, Miao and Gu, Jifa. (2009). “Research on Social Stability Mechanisms Based on Activation Energy and Gradual Activation Reaction Theory” (abs), Complex Sciences, Lecture Notes of the Institute for Computer Science, Social Informatics, and Telecommunications Engineering (pgs. 2309-23), Volume 5. Springer.
2. (a) Niu, W. (2001). “Social Physics: Significance of the Discipline’s Value and its Application”, Science, Forum, 54(3):32-35 (in Chinese).
(b) Niu, Wen-yuan. (2009). “Social Combustion Theory: Dynamics of Social System Deterioration” (abs), in: Complex Sciences: First International Conference, Complex 2009 Shanghai, China, February 23 - 25, 2009 Revised Papers, Part 2 (pgs. 2293-99) (Amz). Springer.
(c) Liu, Yijun and Niu, Wenyuan. (2012). “Social Physics: an Interdisciplinary Way to Explore Mechanism of Public Opinion” (url) (pdf), in: Theoretical and Methodological Approaches to Social Sciences and Knowledge Management (§12) (editor: Asuncion Lopez-Varela). IntechOpen.com. 3. Roberts, David. (2011). “Change GDP, Change the World”, Grist.org, Sep 30.
3. Chang, Yi-Fang. (2013). “Social Thermodynamics, Social Hydrodynamics and Some Mathematical Applications in Social Sciences” (pdf), International Journal of Modern Social Sciences, 2(2):94-108.
Further reading
● Niu, W.Y. (2001). “Socialphysics and the warning system of China’s social stability” (abs), Bulletin of the Chinese Academy of Sciences,1, 15–20 (in Chinese).
● Ning, M., Liu, Y.J., Niu, W.Y. (2008). “Mechanisms for the construction of Harmonious Society Based on Lagrangian Function”, China soft science, 7, 69–76 (in Chinese).
● Niu, W.Y. (2008). “The Social Harmony Equation based on Social Physics” (abs), Bulletin of the Chinese Academy of Sciences,23(4), 343–347 (in Chinese).
External links
● Niu Wenyuan (faculty) – Institute of Policy and Management, Chinese Academy of Sciences.