Social Entropy Theory

By Kenneth D. Bailey

Subjects: Sociology
Paperback : 9780791400579, 328 pages, January 1990
Hardcover : 9780791400562, 328 pages, February 1990

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Table of contents

List of Tables

List of Figures

Preface

1. Contructing a Theory of Complex Society

 

The Direct Strategy
Relation to other Formulations

 

The Relation of SET to Middle-Range and Micro Theory
The Relation of SET to General or Macro Formulations

 

Plan of the Chapters

 

2. The Isomorphic Concrete Systems Model

 

Beyond Functionalism

 

Functionalism
General Systems Theory

 

The Challenges
Meeting the Challenges
The Isomorphic Concrete Systems Model
Epistemology

 

Isomorphism
The Two-Level Model
Anomalies in the Two-Level Model

 

The Three-Level Model

 

Extensions of the Three-Level Model

 

Abstracted Versus Concrete Sociological Theory
The Complex Isomorphic Systems Model (X")

 

Holistic Model Adequacy

 

3. Social Entropy

 

The History of Social Equilibrium

 

Thermodynamic Equilibrium and Entropy
Nonthermodynamic Physical Equilibrium and Entropy
The Spencerian Dilemma
First Principles
Pareto
Equilibrium between Pareto and Parsons
Parsons

 

Moving Equilibrium
Equilibrium as an Analytic Device
Homeostasis
Summarizing the Breadth of Parsons' Equilibrium Concept

 

The History of Social Entropy

 

Prigogine
Use of Entropy
Statistical Formulations
Entropy in General Systems Theory
Verbal Formulations of Social Entropy
Evaluating the Literature on Social Entropy

 

4. Macrosociology

 

Key Societal Variables

 

Global Properties
Spatial Area (Expansion of Boundaries)
Population Size
Level of Living
Technology
Organization
Information
Distributional (Analytical) Measurement

 

Interrelationships among Variables

 

Global Measurement
Distributions

 

Exhaustiveness
Control
Internal Versus External Relationships

 

Internal Relationships
Open Boundaries

 

Summary

 

5. The Individual in Complex Society

 

Sorokin's Ten-Dimensional Structure
The Mutable Distributions
The Immutable Variables
Allocation Theory

 

Global Constraints
Change in Mutable Distribution Structure
Relevant Theories
Overview
Organization
Technology
Space
Information
Level of Living

 

Expectations and Goals

Summary

 

6. Organizations

 

Organizational Formation

 

Divisive Grouping Processes
Agglomerative Grouping Processes

 

Boundaries

 

Boundary Formation
Membership Boundaries
Outreach
Summary

 

Entropy and Information in Organizations
Multiple Membership
Concluding Remarks

 

7. The Central Problem of Social Order

 

Introduction
Social Order

 

Two Types of Order
Q- and R- Relationships

 

The Holistic Model of Social Order

 

Category Theory
Effect of Symbolic Structure on Action
Why Actions Are Replicated
Summary

 

Order and the Three Level Model

 

The Synchronic Nature of Markers
Markers and Mutables

 

Power and Conflict

 

Expectations and Power
Mutables and Conflict
Immutables and Conflict
Entropy and Inequality

 

Concluding Remarks

 

8. Statistical Entropy

 

Probabilistic Entropy

 

Number of Categories

 

Type B Mapping
Type C Mapping
The Marker (X") Level

 

Sample Size
Sampling Distribution

 

Relationship of Categorical Entropy to Continuous Variables

 

Categorical and Continuous Entropy
Continuous Entropy

 

Measuring Inequality

 

Continuous
Decomposition
Categorical Income Data
Measures of Population Diversity
Proportional Reduction in Error
Summary

 

9. Reflections and Hypotheses

 

Reflections

 

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8

 

Hypotheses

 

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8

 

Concluding Remarks

 

References
Author Index
Subject Index

Description

Social Entropy Theory illuminates the fundamental problems of societal analysis with a nonequilibrium approach, a new frame of reference built upon contemporary macrological principles, including general systems theory and information theory. Social entropy theory, using Shannon's H and the entropy concept, avoids the common (and often artificial) separation of theory and method in sociology. The hallmark of the volume is integration, as seen in the author's interdisciplinary discussions of equilibrium, entropy, and homeostasis. Unique features of the book are the introduction of the three-level model of social measurement, the theory of allocation, the concepts of global-mutable-immutable, discussion of order and power, and a large set of testable hypotheses.

Kenneth D. Bailey is Professor of Sociology at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Reviews

"A powerful and insightful general theory of society which resolves several well-known problems with past efforts. " — Joseph Woelfel, State University of New York, Albany

"While specialized approaches do not have any way to indicate what is not being studied, an integrative approach such as Social Entropy Theory fills the critical role of illuminating gaps and inconsistencies in existing theory because it deals with the entire society, including those parts of it which narrower theories may not have specifically addressed. I think this is an important scholarly contribution. There is nothing else like it, and it deals with a very significant issue. " — James Grier Miller, University of California, San Diego