In thermodynamics, centropy is a entropy antonym-like metaphor type of term posited to refer to energetic tendency for particles of a system to come together in an organized manner. The term 'centropy' is a combination of 'centration', meaning concentration, and 'negative entropy', meaning order.
Etymology
The term ‘centropy’, defined as ‘where all things come together’, has been around since 1985, depicted, it seems, as a religious-themed philosophical conception that connected to the ‘real essence of finding out who you are’. [1] The term, in this period, was defined as such: [2]
“There is a thing called entropy where all things fall apart. There is also a thing called centropy where all things come together.”
The author of this definition goes on to state that most people don’t know about centropy.
In 1980, American writer Irving Simon published a 70-page booklet Centropy: the Vertical Aspect of Evolution, and followed this up by the 250-page book Centropy: Evolution of Energy Systems. [3] The 2004-launch site IrvingSimon.com, which seems to have uploaded the introductory pages of the book, becoming inactive in 2005. Simon defines the term centropy as such: [4]
“Centropy comes from the term 'centration,' which has been introduced by Joseph Bois to indicate what happens when there is a pooling of human energies. It is a concentration of a sort; a uniting as exemplified by a group engaged in a cooperative venture. It is at those times when humans commingle (share in a common endeavor), that the outgrowth of their interaction may result in a new innovation leading to the enhancement of human relationships. Just such events occurred when single-celled organisms joined together to form multicellular organisms, and when complex organisms joined to form larger structures such as societies. Thus, when we speak of the vertical aspect of evolution, we imply the evolution of complexity. Let us differentiate it from the horizontal aspect of evolution by referring to it by the term 'centropy.' Also, let us refer to the process that is implied when we speak of the evolution of complexity, as a 'centropic process' rather than a 'negentropic process.'”
Simon suggests argues that centropy, as he uses it, is a more intuitive synonym type replacement term for Erwin Schrodinger’s 1943 negative entropy or negentropy theory.
See also
● Anti-entropy difficulties
References
1. Stark, Rodney. (1985). Religious Movements: Genesis, Exodus, and Numbers (pg. 487). Paragon House Publishers.
2. Author. (1986). The world & I (pg. 487). 1(1). Washington Times Corp.
3. Simon, Irving. (1989). Centropy: Evolution of Energy Systems. D.A.I. Publishers.
4. IrivingSimon.com/Centropy.htm (2004) – Wayback Machine.
