You are correct, the concept of entropy came about when people realized they could only extract so much energy from a heat source. It's quite an old concept actually, I believe the concern started with how to increase the efficiency of steam engines.

In our age however, entropy is better understood in the terms heat itself is better understood: as the motion of particles. Heat itself is not a fundamental property of matter, it can be reduced to mechanics. The problem is, there's no entropy in mechanics; kinetic energy can't be lost. Hence the more modern definition of entropy in terms of our ability to control the motion of particles.

But I'm getting too vague by now. Sorry.

• re: Entropy in biological information theory - kantolfir2 - July 21, 2003 - 16:18 UTC
  • You are correct - mikelev - July 21, 2003 - 16:31 UTC
    • A Meta-Universe is found - kantolfir2 - July 21, 2003 - 16:57 UTC
      • Physics and biology - mikelev - July 21, 2003 - 17:48 UTC
        • Math and Logic in Physics and Biology - quiet - July 21, 2003 - 19:38 UTC
          • M & L - mikelev - July 21, 2003 - 20:04 UTC
            • the eye of the needle - carefuluniverse - July 21, 2003 - 22:12 UTC
            • the eye of the needle (temporarily improved italics) - carefuluniverse - July 21, 2003 - 22:14 UTC
              • Deity? - mikelev - July 22, 2003 - 12:42 UTC
                • Thanks, I'll have two (one before the other) - carefuluniverse - July 22, 2003 - 18:05 UTC
                  • Freedom costs a lot of money - mikelev - July 22, 2003 - 18:45 UTC
                    • oh yeah - carefuluniverse - July 22, 2003 - 19:38 UTC
                      • Freedom - mikelev - July 22, 2003 - 19:53 UTC
                        • Freedom derives in part from social engineering (called laws) - carefuluniverse - July 23, 2003 - 06:47 UTC
    • And by the way... - kantolfir2 - July 21, 2003 - 17:05 UTC
    • Which parts of children's intelligence are mature? - sillyuniverse - July 31, 2003 - 17:59 UTC