ABSTRACT
The concept of entropy has at least two origins, namely physics and information theory. This duality of origin has generated some contradiction in its usage. Entropy is therefore a derived or second-order concept that can indicate the loss or gain in the capacity to do work due to energetic transactions in parts of a system. The concept of entropy provides a number of useful techniques that have been found invaluable in many branches of knowledge ranging from statistics. The chapter examines the other use of the concept of entropy in urban analysis. The entropy formalism continues to undergo valuable criticisms that are forcing its proponents to assess critically the philosophical basis of the formalism as well as its applicability in modelling human systems. The use of the entropy maximising framework lays bare the interrelationships and interactions in a city and it is therefore appropriate for studying human spatial interaction.
