Entropy as an Explanation of Cultural Change. Considering the consistency of Egyptian art, change in the form of entropy175, might seem a strange theme at first glance. The following series of ideas attempt to make the connection between the thermodynamic concept of entropy, and its use to explain cultural change clearer in a non-mathematical way. Entropy is a term originally used to define aspects of thermodynamics. The common understanding of the word refers to the growing internal disorder of organized systems by the spreading out of energy from within closed systems. Seen in this light, entropy is a process and not an object. From being just a concept of physics (usually applied to changes in the two forms of energy transfer, i.e. work and heat in closed systems which can be quantitatively measured), entropy’s qualitative aspect can be used to make constructs in the cultural realm easier to explain. Just like we use abstract numbers in mathematics to understand, say the speed of a car, we can use entropy to explain and understand how and why cultural change occurs. Simply put, for order to exist and be maintained more energy input is required (e.g. building a shack, a house, a palace, a pyramid, etc.), because in the natural state, energy tends to spread out and revert to disorder. Conversely the more disorder there is in a system, the lower the energy level that exists, i.e. when objects disintegrate. Consider the following example. Let's take a bucket of 10 bricks. We pick up the bucket and dump the contents onto the ground. The result will be a random assortment of brick locations and the bricks will not be stacked in perfect order or in perfect alignment. Creating an ordered, aligned brick stack requires someone to apply work or energy. To stay stacked, additional energy is required in the system - for example, using concrete or anchors to hold the bricks in place. Over time, these stacked bricks will revert to a lower state of 174 Xxxxxx-Xxxxxxxxxx, Krisenfaktoren im Ägyptischen Staat des ausgehenden Alten Reichs 116-25. 175 Walsem, "The Struggle Against Chaos as a "Strange Attractor" in Ancient Egyptian Culture," 318-22. energy and disorder (e.g. decay in organic matter, environmental conditions etc.). It is essential to realize that entropy explains both the localization of energy which results in creating something, and the dissipation of energy, i.e. the breaking of rules, and the disruption of order. In this sense entropy becomes the synonym of change, leading to unpredictable results. O...
