Single Idea 17478

[catalogued under 26. Natural Theory / B. Natural Kinds / 2. Defining Kinds]

Full Idea

One suggestion is that any two different substance, however alike, exhibit a positive entropy change on mixing. So absence of entropy change on isothermal mixing provides a criterion of sameness of kind.

Clarification

'isothermal' means at the same temperature

Gist of Idea

Maybe two kinds are the same if there is no change of entropy on isothermal mixing

Source

Robin F. Hendry (Chemistry [2008], 'Micro')

Book Reference

'Routledge Companion to Philosophy of Science', ed/tr. Psillos,S/Curd,M [Routledge 2010], p.522


A Reaction

[He cites Paul Needham 2000] This sounds nice, because at a more amateur level we can say that stuff is the same if mixing two samples of it produces no difference. I call it the Upanishads Test.

Related Idea

Idea 8153 By knowing one piece of clay or gold, you know all of clay or gold [Anon (Upan)]