In thermodynamics, folklore thermodynamics refers to versions of thermodynamics, particularly in regard to memorized argument rebuttals, which exist in the corpus of general public knowledge, but do not have an actual established reference or proof and in some cases are in fact types of scientific myth.
Disorder
One loose version of folklore is what is called "tendency to disorder in all systems" view of entropy, which is a blend or mixture of contrived thermodynamics, laymanized thermodynamics, folklore thermodynamics, statistical mechanics, the disgregation view of entropy of Rudolf Clausius, comments by Herman Helmholtz on how the magnitude of entropy is a measure of disorder, Boltzmann' principle of elementary disorder, aspect of Walther Nernst's third law, and the version of radiation thermodynamics and quantum mechanics developed by Max Planck.
Closed system
A 2009, a videotaped Penn State University "street debate" on whether or not entropy applies to humankind and evolution, wherein the one of the students uses the "closed system argument" and the man uses a mixture of contrived thermodynamics and laymanized thermodynamics to conclude that the evolution process should go towards disorder according to the second law and the fact that it’s not is evidence of the work of God, of something to this effect. [1]
Open system
Another variation folklore thermodynamics is the oft-heard assertion that humans are open systems and thus not a violation of the second law.
Local entropy decrease
Another variety of folklore thermodynamics is the so-called argument that the order seen in evolution and in humans is what is called the phenomenon of “local entropy decrease”, which is offset by the greater increase in entropy in the surroundings. This argument, however, seems to trace to the publications of English thermodynamicist Alfred Ubbelohde, particular his 1946 Time and Thermodynamics.
Far from equilibrium
An oft adopted view, is that human existence and in particular human society is a state of existence "far from equilibrium", very near the edge of chaos, and close to bifurcation points, which humans supposedly pass through periodically. This is all an alluded to view given by Ilya Prigogine who attempted to pass of the the phenomenon of Benard cell formation as the prototype model for evolution.
References
1. Anons. (2009). “Debate: Entropy Applies to Humankind?” (V), Penn State University.
