Summary and Conclusions

Abstract

The question that motivated this research was the study of the origin of capital. This naturally led to biological and thermodynamic structures and, in turn, to the substancce of thermodynamics itself. Is thermodynamics a field on a par with, say, electrodynamics? With quantum mechanics? Apparently not, since thermodynamics is the result of utilitarian concerns; to be understood it needs the concept of value. Value derives because a biological entity whether by design or evolution must shed information (data) if it is to survive. Thermodynamics is par excellence the field that does this successfully. It is the epitome of the concept of scarcity and with its engines and processors it provides the more lucid examples of capital structures. This justified the lengthy critique of thermodynamics. At the same time these structures have to be assembled. This gave me the opportunity to explore the physical processes of coalescence of matter and of the formation of structures in order to acquire a sense of what is known in order to discuss experiment.