Entropy vs Negentropy
Discussion
Robert Hanna:
"In physics, entropy is the unavailability of thermal energy for conversion into causal action or work.
Sometimes, entropy is described as “disorder,” but this is conceptually misleading: actually, an increase in entropy is an increase in the amount of thermal energy that’s in a cold or causally inert state, hence it’s an overall ordering or structuring of thermal energy that’s less complex, less differentiated, and less variegated — as it were, a more boring ordering or structuring of thermal energy, a dispersal of thermal energy — whereby the natural universe is in a partial or total equilibrium state, i.e., a partially or totally settled state, with nothing coming in or going out across the impermeable borders of that state, such that nothing can be be done or happen. Now, when natural systems spontaneously evolve so that they causally operate entropically, let’s call that natural mechanism.
Contrariwise, negative entropy or negentropy is the negation or reversal of entropy, hence it’s the availability of thermal energy for conversion into causal action or work, sometimes also called “free energy,” or “order,” but those labels are also conceptually misleading; actually, an increase in negentropy is an increase in the amount of thermal energy that’s in a hot or causally empowered state, hence it’s an overall ordering or structuring of thermal energy that’s more complex, more differentiated, and more variegated — as it were, a more exciting ordering or structuring of thermal energy, a concentration ofthermal energy — whereby the natural universe is in a partial or total non-equilibrium state, i.e., a partially or totally unsettled state, with things coming in and going out across the permeable membranes of that state, such that things can be done or happen. Now, when natural systems spontaneously evolve so that they causally operate negentropically, let’s call that natural creativity."