Teleodynamic Work In his book How Mind Emerged From Matter, Terrence Deacon seeks to generalize the Newtonian conception of work such that the term can be used to describe and differentiate mental phenomena: Work is generally defined to be the interaction of two orthograde changing systems such that contragrade change is produced.
A thermodynamic systems capacity to do work depends less upon the total energy of the system and more upon the geometric distribution of its components. Microscopic work is necessary but not sufficient for macroscopic work. A global property of asymmetric distribution is also required.
By recognizing that asymmetry is a general property of work - that work is done as asymmetric systems spontaneously tend towards symmetry, Deacon abstracts the concept of work and applies it to systems whose symmetries are vastly more complex than those covered by classical thermodynamics.
In a morphodynamic system, the tendency towards symmetry produces not global equilibrium, but a complex geometric form like a hexagonal Benard cell or the resonant frequency of a flute. This tendency towards convolutedly symmetric forms can be harnessed to do work on other morphodynamic systems, if the systems are properly coupled.
In teleodynamic systems, the spontaneous orthograde tendency is not to equilibriate (as in homeodynamic systems), nor to self simplify (as in morphodynamic systems) but rather to tend towards self-preservation. Living organisms spontaneously tend to heal, to reproduce and to pursue resources towards these ends. Teleodynamic work like evolution acts on these tendencies and pushes them in a contragrade, non-spontaneous direction.
Mental problem solving can also be considered teleodynamic work: Interpretive systems are teleodynamic - the interpretive process is designed to perpetuate itself. Deacon makes the link between evolution as teleodynamic work and thought as teleodynamic work explicit: "The experience of being sentient is what it feels like to be evolution."
- Wikipedia
See also:
TELEODYNAMICS
How Teleodynamics Creates “Self”
