ABSTRACT
CHAPTER 8 This chapter takes -off from the Second Law of Thermodynamics and discusses the possibility of applying this law and the minimum entropy production principle by Nicolis and Prigogine to living systems. The question is whether or not entropy is defined for far-from-equilibrium-systems. In accordance with Landsberg (1972), the answer is yes, a statement which he calls the Fourth Law of Thermodynamics. While the author of this chapter expresses his doubt about the measurement of entropy, he proposes to adapt (calculate) entropy productions (flows).
