Entropic Philosophy: Chaos, Breakdown, and Creation

by Shannon M. Mussett

Now is a time of tremendous anxiety about the present and future state of the world. As the second law of thermodynamics states, entropy never decreases, time marches relentlessly forward, and closed systems inevitably break down. Entropy serves as a powerful metaphor capturing expressions of growing malaise and decline.

Entropic Chaos, Breakdown, and Creation builds on the meaning of entropy from the Greek entropia, signifying “a turning toward” or “transformation.” Developing a philosophy of entropy, this book draws variously from anthropology, psychoanalysis, literature, art, and the history of philosophy. This approach opens pathways for reverence and care that are crucial in preventing fear, existential inertia, and despair.

Genres: Philosophy

221 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 31, 2022

Reviews

[Hayden Berg · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book that presents a genealogy of the entropy metaphor through science and philosophy, while ultimately concluding that we ought to approach our current human situation with reverence and care, rather than unwarranted hope or fatalism.

While I particularly love the section on age and Beauvoir, this entire book is filled with excellent readings of major philosophical texts that open up in new ways when thought about along the lines of entropy. I think it's a very great and very important book.

[Gregory Usselmann · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first chapter was excellent: it explained the origin of the term in the context of thermodynamics and it’s metaphorical application in the cultural realm. The second chapter was useful insofar as it looked at its Greek etymological antecedents. After that, the enterprise kinda went downhill. “Etrepics” as the “solution” to the problem of entropy doesn’t carry water given the author’s materialist worldview.

[Hash Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful introduction to the subject of entropy in philosophy. Mussett's optimism in the face of a declining world is well-founded, infectious, and a valuable tool for anyone looking to face the world head on.

[Clifford Goldstein · Rating 2 out of 5]

kinda goofy

Kinda goofy even if well-intentioned. Don’t see how her entrepics solves anything. Just another humanist tome to try and help humans deal with their impending demise.

[Stevie Kaschke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written, forward thinking, and accessible to non-academic readers. This book is a great resource that details how philosophy and the concept of entropy have intertwined throughout history. The author writes on ideas spanning from ancient greek thought, to post-modern intellectuals. This work focuses on philosophical thought and entropy, but ideas from artists, poets, and even anthropologists are explored which helps provide context and depth to the ideas presented in the book.

While the history and context of how others throughout history have thought about entropy is interesting to read, the real gem of this book is the author's own ideas. Many other books and thinkers exploring the philosophical implications of entropy and the second law end up discussing nihilism in some form or another. This book takes a look at the less obvious philosophical implications of entropy. The increase in disorder of entropy is necessary for change and for life and love to flourish. If entropy never increased, everything would stay crystalline and frozen in time. The double edged sword of entropy is that the destruction of entropy allows for creation in its wake. This book explores this creation found in entropic increase and argues that this is the worldview of entropy we should be focused on.