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A Four Laws Structure for Looking at Economics through the Eyes of Thermodynamics

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  • Vítor A. F. Costa

    (TEMA—Centro de Tecnologia Mecânica e Automação, Departamento de Engenharia Mecânica, Universidade de Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal)

Abstract

Thermodynamics is based on its Four Laws structure. Based on Thermodynamics and its Four Laws structure, this work presents and explores its economic counterpart, proposing an economic Four Laws structure to look at Economics through the eyes of Thermodynamics. The Economic Zeroth Law is based on the merchandise economic thermal equilibrium, thus defining the economic temperature. The Economic First Law is based on balance equations for the units of merchandise and monetary species. The economic Second Law is based on the observation that the traded merchandise units are transferred in the increasing unit price direction (in the decreasing economic temperature direction). This allows economic entropy to be defined through a differential equation, as well as the definition of economic irreversibility and economic entropy generation. The economic Third Law states that the merchandise economic entropy of an economic system at the null economic temperature (at an infinite merchandise unit price) is null. Conjugation of the economic Second and Third Laws sets how to evaluate the absolute value of the economic entropy of an economic system. The presented developments setting the proposed economic Four Laws structure introduce and explore a large set of concepts, variables, and relations that are of major relevance for looking at Economics through the eyes of Thermodynamics.

Suggested Citation

  • Vítor A. F. Costa, 2024. "A Four Laws Structure for Looking at Economics through the Eyes of Thermodynamics," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-39, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:17:y:2024:i:17:p:4223-:d:1462878
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Elias L. Khalil, 2004. "The Three Laws of Thermodynamics and the Theory of Production," Journal of Economic Issues, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 38(1), pages 201-226, March.
    2. H. Quevedo & M. N. Quevedo, 2009. "Statistical thermodynamics of economic systems," Papers 0903.4216, arXiv.org, revised May 2011.
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