Abstract
Thermodynamics is the foundation of many of the topics of interest in the religion‐science dialogue. Here a nonmathematical outline of the principles of thermodynamics is presented, providing a historical and conceptually understandable development that can serve teachers from disciplines other than physics. The contributions of Gibbs to both classical and rational thermodynamics, emphasizing the importance of the ensemble in statistical mechanics, are discussed. The seminal ideas of Boltzmann on statistical mechanics are contrasted to those of Gibbs in a discussion of the microscopic interpretation of the second law. The role of information theory is discussed, and the modern ideas of Prigogine and nonequilibrium are outlined in some detail with further reference to the second law. Implications for our interaction with God are considered.
Keywords
information theory, statistical mechanics, entropy, second law, non‐equilibrium, first law, ensemble
How to Cite
Helrich, C., (1999) “Thermodynamics: What One Needs to Know”, Zygon: Journal of Religion and Science 34(3), 501–514. doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/0591-2385.00229