The Science and Philosophy of the "Thermodynamic School" of Evolution
This book was written by Timothy McWhirter and published in 2025. It examines the relation between the maximum power principle developed by Alfred Lotka and H. T. Odum and the concept of the will to power developed by the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. It discusses the work of the scientists and philosophers that influenced the…
This book was written by Charles A. S. Hall (pictured), Cutler J. Cleveland, and Robert Kaufmann and published in 1986. It integrates and synthesizes concepts pertaining to energy and resource quality, originally derived in the natural and physical sciences, and applies them to human economic systems. It examines how energy is used to transform natural…
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This paper was written by Douglas S. Glazier and published in 2024. It provides one of the most comprehensive and detailed analyses of the relation between power and efficiency in living systems. He uses the results of his analysis to critically evaluate the principles that have been used to explain the evolution of living systems,…
This book was written by Charles Hall and published in 2017. It provides a comprehensive explanation of the concept of energy return on investment and its relation to biology, economics, and sustainability, as well as a discussion of the maximum power principle. It uses these principles to provide recommendations for how societies can best deal…