Thomas Pynchon's Entropy

In society, there are groups that interact with each other. They may be families, churches, government agencies, or anything in between. Those groups can be defined as systems, and in the systems perspective that is what they are referred to (Hutchison, 2017). In the 1960s, Ludwig von Bertalanffy developed the general systems theory in relation to biology, but it was widely publicized and used for various subjects (Hutchison, 2017). Hutchison (2017) summarized Bertalanffy’s theory by saying, “any element is best understood by considering its interactions with its constituent parts as well as its interactions with larger systems of which it is a part.” (p.

A system is “A set of interrelated and interdependent parts arranged in a manner that produces a unified whole” (robbins 2006), and Systems theory is the

In order for any organization to be successful, they must find effective ways to change systems and policies that are ineffective in creating a successful environment. A system consists of four things, elements, attributes, internal relationships, and the system environment. The systems theory is transdisciplinary study of the abstract organization of phenomena, independent of their substance, type, or spatial or temporal scale of existence (Heylighen & Joslyn, 1992). The study investigates all the principals common to all complex bodies, and the models which can be used to describe them. Von Bertalanffy (1971) was the creator of the “system” concept, he developed this idea as an answer to the limitations of individual disciplines in addressing complex social issues (Mitchell, 2005). The underlining principal of this theory is that an organization consists of multiple, interdependent parts that collectively form more than the sum of their parts. Developed from the systems theory, are three separate theories with the basis of each being the systems theory. The activity theory considers the entire program versus just one single sector, it sees the operation as a whole instead of sub departments, it combines both micro and macro elements of the organization. The chaos theory does not mean a chaotic hectic situation, rather a situation where there appears to be little to no order, there really is a hidden underlying order. The complexity theory is

Entropy – A measure of how dispersed the energy in a system is at a specific temperature (S)

In this generation most people live and make choices for themselves. It is abnormal for real emotion to be shown much. In the books Fahrenheit 451 (F451) by Ray Bradbury and “Cold Equations” by Tom Godwin they both relate to our society now in their own ways with how people convey the way they feel. But there is an imbalance in the way the society feels and acts upon others. While some differences in these two books are prominent, the similarities are astonishing. In the books it is apparent that the citizens in F451 are dehumanized, or deprived of positive human qualities and show a major lack of emotion. In Cold Equations we capture the true feelings of the characters. These books both relate in the way that they have a consistent theme which can be categorized as the death of innocent people. Finally, both books respectively capture hard decisions that have to be made by the characters.

The world that is overrun with tyranny creates the capacity for people to be forced to live in inhumane conditions. This often involves a leader who silences people by restricting their power and limiting them to a lifestyle that is unsatisfactory compared to the elite in society. Through the novel 1984 and short story 2081, authors George Orwell and Kurt Vonnegut introduce readers to the idea of inhumanity by means of mentally incapacitating citizens and holding them at equal rankings through means of oppression.

According to the excerpt "Entropy" which was taken from K.C Coles essay, the main point is that everything in the universe eventually moves from order to disorder. In lines 5-6, it is stated that: "Unlike almost every other physical property (motion, gravity, energy), entropy does not work both ways. It can only increase. Once it's created it can never be destroyed. The road to disorder is a one way street." This is basically referring to the idea that entropy isn't necessarily a positive thing, yet its inevitable. This means that certain things most people wouldn't want in life, such as aging for example, is prone to have a negative affect on you, but it's something you have no control over.

Entropy is a term used to describe a force that is present in all family systems. If the system is lacking a sufficient amount of social exchange, the family relationship tends to weaken and breakdown. Melanie and Jake are a perfect example of entropy. They

According to the Merriam Webster dictionary, entropy can be defined as “the degree of disorder or uncertainty in a system.” In his novel, The Crying of Lot 49, Thomas Pynchon manipulates the definition of the scientific term “entropy” to manifest the innate chaos and disorder in both a closed thermodynamic system and in the life of the protagonist: Oedipa Maas. In the novel, Oedipa Maas explores entropy with respect to the thermodynamic sorting of molecules in Maxwell’s Demon, and the communication information regarding the “Tristero”. According to Warren Weaver’s, Recent Contributions to The Mathematical Theory of Communication, there are technical, semantic, and effectiveness problems that may distort the accuracy of communication,

Broadly speaking, entropy refers both to the level of disorder and uncertainty in a system.The concept originates from thermodynamics, where it is used to describe the thermal energy in heat engine that is unavailable to be converted into work (i.e. transferred through a change in form or location).The second law of thermodynamics stipulates that within a self-contained system like a heat engine, the aggregate measure of entropy must remain the same or increase over time because with no external energy inputs, the system’s net energy flow gradually subsides as the gaps between its higher and lower energy particles decrease through the transfer of heat as they interact. This diminishing gap between particle energy levels, denoted in part by a stabilization in temperature and phase state (e.g. solid, liquid, or gas), reflects the system’s progression towards a state of thermodynamic equilibrium, or maximum entropy, where particles regress into towards a uniform set of characteristics and inertness as the net energy flow grows infinitesimal. In moving towards equilibrium the system also becomes increasingly disordered because in losing their distinctiveness particles become fungible, rendering attempts to impose order and coherence on the system by drawing relations and distinctions between

Chaos theory is a more recently discovered organization theory. Don’t let the word chaos misdirect you in your thoughts on this theory. This theory actually believes that order can be achieved,

As said by George Orwell, “It is not possible for any thinking person to live in such a society as our own without wanting to change it,” (Orwell). This idea, under the category of knowledge, is reflected through two novels—Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 and George Orwell’s 1984—as people who spend time thinking are caught rebelling against the government’s power and face severe consequences. The protagonists, Montag and Winston, are both desperately searching for answers that pique their curiosity, though this action is considered illegal. In both written works, the government controls the information that is known among the citizens, regardless of whether or not it is the truth. Bradbury’s and Orwell’s novels both involve the elimination

Society responds through counterculture movements to return to disorder because people are “unwilling to accept the limitations by the virtues placed on them being human, they chose to rebel against their position within the order of things. Latent within human nature is an unwillingness to accept this order, and our place within it” (McGrath 135). Joaquín de Tristero y Calavera, the founder of Trystero, an underground network of anarchist mail carriers, exemplifies this ideal. Calavera, an “honest rebel”, came to Brussels and attempted to overthrow the Thurn and Taxis postal system, a governmental monopoly on mail. (Pynchon 131). However, he failed and retaliated with a guerilla war, “a sub rosa campaign of obstruction, terror, and depredation”, bringing chaos to the destruction of an institution (Pynchon 132) . Trystero, an intricate web of secrets, conspiracy, and chaos, functions as the driving force of entropy bringing true order to a generic life dominated by corporations and institutions (rejecting the order and transparency of governments). Disorder is order and surrounds us as everything ends in disarray. The idea of entropy entails that everything in the universe flows from order to disorder, and entropy is the measurement of that change. The Maxwell Demon, a tiny box that can sort fast and slow moving molecules (based on temperature), doesn’t require any work to sort molecules, and so

S. Eddington awarded the second law of thermodynamics "the supreme position among the laws of Nature" since it alone was responsible for what he was the first to call "time's arrow"… The directionality of time that results from entropy's increase, Eddington points out, is intimately installed in our awareness of ourselves in the world, confirmed by human reason, and dependent upon the fact that there are multiple parts to be organized or disordered (Menke, 970).

and of the information decoupling point? How do they relate to each other with respect