---
slug: paper-westbroek-j-nijhuis-h-g-j-and-van-der-maesen-l-j-g-2020-evolutionary-thermodynam
title: Evolutionary Thermodynamics and Theory of Social Quality (Westbroek, Nijhuis, van der Maesen 2020)
canonical: https://miscsubjects.com/a/paper-westbroek-j-nijhuis-h-g-j-and-van-der-maesen-l-j-g-2020-evolutionary-thermodynam
---

## What the work establishes

Westbroek, Nijhuis, and van der Maesen (2020) establish evolutionary thermodynamics as an ontological bridge between the time-reversible laws of physics and the time-irreversible evolution observed in biology and the human sciences. The paper defines evolutionary thermodynamics as the local emergence of higher organizational complexity through new faces of the second law of thermodynamics. It treats societies as natural phenomena governed by the same dialectical processes.

The core result is that the theory of social quality shares ontological and epistemological features with evolutionary thermodynamics. This affinity allows the social quality approach to serve as a framework for linking physics, biology, and human sciences.

## Exact primary works and passages

The primary source is Westbroek, J., Nijhuis, H.G.J. and van der Maesen, L.J.G. (2020). Evolutionary Thermodynamics and Theory of Social Quality as Links between Physics, Biology, and the Human Sciences. International Journal of Social Quality, 10(1), 57–86.

Load-bearing passages:

"This article seeks to open a dialogue between physics, other natural sciences, and the human sciences. Part 1 questions time reversibility as a fundament of physics. This runs counter to the discourses of all other sciences, which do presume the irreversibility of time and the evolvement of phenomena. Characteristics of evolution (time irreversibility, chance, evolvement of higher levels of organization) are explained according to the laws of thermodynamics. Evolutionary thermodynamics (ET) is launched as a new connecting concept." (Abstract, p. 57)

"In accordance with Spinoza—the evolutions of humans and societies are considered as phenomena of Nature as a unity. Particular attention is given to the interdependent dialectical character of processes in societies between humans and (evolving) levels of societal organization." (p. 58)

"ET is then shown to possess the potentiality to eliminate the discrepancy identified above. The workings of chance and the dynamic evolvement of coherent levels of organization are explained as elements inherent in ET. Evolutionary processes take place dialectically, whereby interdependent cooperation between levels of complexities constitutes the potentiality to resist the leveling effect of entropy maximization or, in other words, the loss of order." (p. 58)

The paper references Spinoza via Descartes comparison on page 59 and ties conatus to ordering against entropy in the evolutionary thermodynamics section.

## Convergence patterns evidenced

The work touches flow networks and bounded order emerging from energy dissipation. It evidences scale-invariant organizational levels from physics through biology to societies. Dialectical interaction between levels maps to structure formation and memory-like persistence in complex systems. It aligns with the Ladder progression from difference (time irreversibility) through flow (thermodynamic processes) to structure (higher organization) to human-level phenomena.

## Relation to the OIP/GRAIN synthesis

The paper supports the GRAIN synthesis by grounding ordering forces in the second law and extending them to human sciences via dialectical cooperation that counters entropy. It treats the reader (human societies) as embedded in the same natural processes, consistent with the Mirror Layer. Distance from the full synthesis remains large. The authors stop at social quality theory and do not address object invocation mechanics, ledger-based replay, or protocol receipts.

## Honest limits and disconfirming edges

The thermodynamic claims rest on reinterpretation of established physics without new empirical tests. The social quality link is interpretive and lacks quantitative validation across scales. Reductionist objections, such as those emphasizing strict microphysical determinism without emergent dialectics, remain unaddressed in the text. No falsifiable predictions for social evolution are derived from the ET framework.

## Claims

- Claim c1: Evolutionary thermodynamics reinterprets the second law to permit local increases in organizational complexity. Tier: mechanistic. Source: Westbroek et al. 2020, p. 58.
- Claim c2: Human and societal evolution occurs through dialectical interdependence between organizational levels. Tier: speculative. Source: Westbroek et al. 2020, p. 58.
- Claim c3: The social quality approach shares ontological features with evolutionary thermodynamics. Tier: anecdotal. Source: Westbroek et al. 2020, abstract.
- Claim c4: Spinoza's ontology aligns with entropy-resistant ordering in natural processes. Tier: speculative. Source: Westbroek et al. 2020, p. 58.

## Sources

- s1: Westbroek et al. 2020 full paper. URL: https://www.berghahnjournals.com/view/journals/ijsq/10/1/ijsq100104.pdf. Quote: as above. Summary: Establishes ET as bridge concept.

See also /a/oip-the-ladder and /a/oip-the-mirror-layer for related load-bearing arguments.
