TPF : Energy as Agency

[Gnomon]

Should we focus less on the term “god” and more on the term “energy”?
https://thephilosophyforum.com/discussi ... ent/524363

It is aware of itself. It observes. It is power, it is information and even the void is thermal - the seemingly nothingness of empty space has a certain level of energy intrinsic to it. . . . seems to be the ultimate agent. — Benj96


In my personal philosophical worldview, Enformationism, I do focus on the ubiquitous role of Energy as the active agency that is constantly enforming the world, as it evolves from a pin-point of Potential (Singularity) to the mind-boggling universe that human agents have discovered out there beyond our local habitat. I refer to that teleological Energy as EnFormAction. And, I do sometimes use the label "G*D" when referring to the logically necessary First Cause (the ultimate agent) of the evolutionary process. But I also use a variety of other descriptive terms in different contexts. For example, when discussing the information processing of our world, I refer to the presumed "Programmer", who encoded the natural laws that guide & moderate the explosive burst of Energy that brought our universe into existence. When discussing how order can arise, despite Energy's Achilles Heel of Entropy, I use the term "Enformy". In my blog, I attempt to answer many of the questions your raised in the OP.

The EnFormAction Hypothesis : That neologism is an analysis and re-synthesis of the common word for the latent power of mental contents : “Information”. “En” stands for energy, the physical power to cause change; “Form” refers to Platonic Ideals that become real; “Action” is the meta-physical power of transformation, as exemplified in the amazing metamorphoses of physics, whereby one kind of thing becomes a new kind of thing, with novel properties. In the Enformationism worldview, EnFormAction is eternal creative potential in action : it's how creation-via-evolution works.
http://bothandblog3.enformationism.info/page23.html

[Gnomon]

Our best cosmologists can only come up with absurdities to avoid believing "God did it." Yet "God did it" is useless as a scientific theory or an explanation of anything. — fishfry

Yes. Although I am not religious, I would hope that scientists could come-up with something better than the Multiverse theory --- which doesn't attempt to answer the First Cause question, but simply assumes that "Energy & Laws" have always existed : a Forever Cause. That sounds like a generic description of the worldwide God-concept : the creative force and organizing principle of our world. So, I long-ago, gave-up trying to avoid the most common vernacular term for the philosophical "First Cause". In my personal thesis, I attempt to re-formulate traditional god-concepts (Logos ; Tao ; Brahma ; etc) in a way that could be useful as the philosophical foundation for a scientific Theory of Everything.

[Gnomon]

I find this interesting that you understand entropy to be energies Achilles heal. I actually believe it’s energies greatest feat. . . ,
“Entropy” in this case is the “rate at which energy is converted into time” - it’s reciprocal.. . .
It is the form of energy that comes together (negative entropy) as time dilates. — Benj96

My characterization of Entropy as Energy's weak point, was not concerned with Time. Instead, it was based on their opposite "reciprocal" roles in Evolution. Basically, Energy is construed as Constructive while Entropy is Destructive. Figuratively, Entropy tears-down what Energy builds-up.

You are correct though, that Entropy is a measure of Time's Arrow. It's the rate at which our world is "going to hell in a handbasket", to borrow a phrase. Evolution began with maximum Energy & Order in the Singularity. But the original order was essentially crystaline, with no room for change, except as an explosion of Cosmic power --- which could have positive or negative results, depending on the degree of control : Atomic Bomb vs Atomic Energy. However, as evolution proceeded, that pent-up energy loosened-up enough to create organization : not just Matter, but also Life & Mind. Ironically, we may now be near the peak of evolution's creativity ; so from here on out, it's all downhill toward the frozen Hell of Heat Death --- which is maximum disorder and disorganization and dissolution.

That's why I referred to destructive Entropy as constructive Energy's Achillies Heel. But it's just a metaphor, because Energy is only constructive when circumstances (and natural laws) allow it : what I call Enformy. And Entropy can be a positive function of Change, as it removes the detritus of the past to make room for novelty in the future. That ecological notion may be the more positive "reciprocal" role for Entropy that you were referring to.


Entropy and disorder :
Entropy is sometimes referred to as a measure of the amount of "disorder" in a system. Lots of disorder = high entropy, while order = low entropy. And again, the more orderly states are the states with the lower entropy. ...
https://webs.morningside.edu/slaven/Phy ... ropy7.html

Entropy (arrow of time) :
Entropy is one of the few quantities in the physical sciences that require a particular direction for time, sometimes called an arrow of time.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entropy_(arrow_of_time)

Heat death of the universe :
The heat death of the universe (also known as the Big Chill or Big Freeze) is a theory on the ultimate fate of the universe, which suggests the universe would evolve to a state of no thermodynamic free energy and would therefore be unable to sustain processes that increase entropy.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat_deat ... e_universe

Enformy :
In the Enformationism theory, Enformy is a hypothetical, holistic, metaphysical, natural trend or force, that counteracts Entropy & Randomness to produce complexity & progress.
http://blog-glossary.enformationism.info/page8.html