Hello Mark (and others),
thanks for your replies.
On Mon, 9 Jul 2001, Mark Burch wrote:
|How about:
|A resource is something that is lower in entropy relative to the user.
|*************************************************************
Well, that is probably too vague. A forest has probably a higher entropy
than me, still I would call it a resource. Maybe you mean specific
entropy? Still, even then is this definition difficult to quantify.
For now, I have decided to use a quite general definition, that is also
applicable to non-human living systems:
``Resources are the physical components of the environment that can
sustain or benefit living systems''
It's kind of a least common denominator of all the different definitions I
have found so far, ranging from economics to ecology and physical resource
theory. Of course, it excludes humans and other living systems, but as I
said: the least common denominator.
Best regards, Stefan
|
|> Hello list members,
|>
|> working on my PhD about entropy production and resource use, I have come
|> across the difficulty of adequately defining the term 'resource'. What
|> exactly do you understand by that term? Where would you look up a precise
|> definition?
|>
|> I would be very pleased if someone could point me to a good source of
|> information on this topic, especially physical resources and/or natural
|> resources. Online or printed sources welcome.
|>
|> Thanks in advance and best regards,
|> Stefan Goessling
|>
|