A Science of Ethics? Entropy, Perhaps?

The rise of narrative as an alternative to truth among the well-educated American elite is inconsistent with moral capitalism. Narratives belong to the genre of story, myth, fairy tales, horror and romantic fictions. Narratives must design characters to carry their story line.

Narratives, many times, are morality tales used to teach principles or warn of consequences and to present characters as role models for emulation or rejection.

Moral capitalism has a core set of understandings which seek to be grounded in reality and not just socially constructed. The Caux Round Table (CRT) Principles for Business do not embrace an “anything goes” mentality of entitlement.

Companies are bound to their stakeholders by interest and moral responsibility. Companies are now to have “purpose,” more meaningful than the making of profits.

But in this era of all ideas and ideals only being self-serving narratives, on what can the CRT principles be grounded?

I attach here a long essay proposing use of the Second Law of Thermodynamics as a basis for reasoning about good ethics. The Second Law is not a narrative; it is said to be a law of nature, beyond any social convention. If we want to deny it, we may, but that will not make it disappear.

I ask your indulgence in taking a look at the credibility of my argument for this fruitful intersection of science and ethics around the dynamic of entropy.

I would be very interested in your thoughts and feedback.