predication involving three universal categories. The claim of the universal categories of three-ness (monads, dyads, and triads) arose from the mathematical idea
about the reducibility of n-adic relations. According to the reduction thesis
a. Triads are necessary because genuinely triadic relations cannot be completely
analyzed in terms of monadic and dyadic predicates, and
b. Triads are sufficient because there are no genuinely tetradic or larger polyadic
relations; all higher arity n-adic relations can be analyzed in terms of triadic and
lower arity relations.
In recent years, Burch [31] has offered proof of the reduction thesis.
We may use the reduction thesis as the organizing principle of evolution in
thermodynamic thought. It began with the caloric theory as a one-place relation
theory that heat is conserved as presented in Chap. 2. From that beginning a more
comprehensive dynamical theory, i.e., mechanical theory of heat [MTH], was
formulated on the basis of the MEH as the interconvertibility principle, which
becomes the standard theory of the present time. The interconvertibility principle is
a statement of two-place relation.
Carnot’s theory has been interpreted as the conversion of high-temperature heat
into mechanical energy and that there is limitation in the amount of
high-temperature heat to be converted into mechanical energy. Carnot himself,
though, emphasized the importance of low-temperature heat sink, “Heat alone is not
sufficient to give birth to the impelling power: it is necessary that there should also
be cold; without it, the heat [at high temperature] would be useless” [4]. Accordingly, we may consider an alternative way of interpreting the Carnot heat engine.
Again, the setup is the transfer of heat energy from a heat body at T A to a body at
low temperature T B in association with the production of mechanical energy; the
three grades of energy involved are again mechanical energy, W rev ,
high-temperature heat energy at T A , Q A , and low temperature heat energy at T B .
But, instead of considering the conversion of heat energy from a heat body at T A to
mechanical energy, we consider a new way of understanding the Carnot heat engine
beginning with considering two events in association with the setup
1. The spontaneous event of the pure heat transfer process, and
2. The reversible event for the production of mechanical energy
Since the same amount of heat energy exits from the T A heat body in both
events, we pose the question not as how much of the heat energy from a T A heat
body is converted to mechanical energy, but what is the relation between the
difference in heat energies exchanged with the T B heat body of the two events and
the amount of mechanical energy in the reversible event.
In answering this question, it is useful to consider entropy growth in the
spontaneous event. In this event, the same Q A amount of heat energy that leaves T A
heat body enters the T B heat body. Therefore, the entropy growth in the universe
which in this case equals the entropy change in the universe is
8.6 The Predicative Entropic Theory of Heat
213
about the reducibility of n-adic relations. According to the reduction thesis
a. Triads are necessary because genuinely triadic relations cannot be completely
analyzed in terms of monadic and dyadic predicates, and
b. Triads are sufficient because there are no genuinely tetradic or larger polyadic
relations; all higher arity n-adic relations can be analyzed in terms of triadic and
lower arity relations.
In recent years, Burch [31] has offered proof of the reduction thesis.
We may use the reduction thesis as the organizing principle of evolution in
thermodynamic thought. It began with the caloric theory as a one-place relation
theory that heat is conserved as presented in Chap. 2. From that beginning a more
comprehensive dynamical theory, i.e., mechanical theory of heat [MTH], was
formulated on the basis of the MEH as the interconvertibility principle, which
becomes the standard theory of the present time. The interconvertibility principle is
a statement of two-place relation.
Carnot’s theory has been interpreted as the conversion of high-temperature heat
into mechanical energy and that there is limitation in the amount of
high-temperature heat to be converted into mechanical energy. Carnot himself,
though, emphasized the importance of low-temperature heat sink, “Heat alone is not
sufficient to give birth to the impelling power: it is necessary that there should also
be cold; without it, the heat [at high temperature] would be useless” [4]. Accordingly, we may consider an alternative way of interpreting the Carnot heat engine.
Again, the setup is the transfer of heat energy from a heat body at T A to a body at
low temperature T B in association with the production of mechanical energy; the
three grades of energy involved are again mechanical energy, W rev ,
high-temperature heat energy at T A , Q A , and low temperature heat energy at T B .
But, instead of considering the conversion of heat energy from a heat body at T A to
mechanical energy, we consider a new way of understanding the Carnot heat engine
beginning with considering two events in association with the setup
1. The spontaneous event of the pure heat transfer process, and
2. The reversible event for the production of mechanical energy
Since the same amount of heat energy exits from the T A heat body in both
events, we pose the question not as how much of the heat energy from a T A heat
body is converted to mechanical energy, but what is the relation between the
difference in heat energies exchanged with the T B heat body of the two events and
the amount of mechanical energy in the reversible event.
In answering this question, it is useful to consider entropy growth in the
spontaneous event. In this event, the same Q A amount of heat energy that leaves T A
heat body enters the T B heat body. Therefore, the entropy growth in the universe
which in this case equals the entropy change in the universe is
8.6 The Predicative Entropic Theory of Heat
213