NONLINEAR THERMODYNAMICS AND SOCIAL-SCIENCE MODELING - FAD CYCLES, CULTURAL-DEVELOPMENT AND IDENTIFICATIONAL SLIPS

The paper argues that the application of nonlinear dynamics borrowed f rom thermodynamics for the study of the evolution of institutions amou nts to an identificational slip. While the paper welcomes the importat ion of techniques from the natural sciences, thermodynamic feedback is simply an inappropriate technique for the study of evolutionary chang e. Thermodynamic feedback is only appropriate for the study of social dynamics like mob behavior, stock market gyrations, and fad cycles. On e should rather appeal to the evolution of species-as recorded by chan ge of gene frequency and phenotypic traits-as the appropriate metaphor for the study of evolution of culture-as manifested by change of rule s and principles and their consequent order.