It is pointed out by W.T. Grandy Jr,<ref>{{cite journal | doi = 10.1023/B:FOOP.0000012007.06843.ed | title = Time Evolution in Macroscopic Systems. I. Equations of Motion | year = 2004 | last1 = Grandy | first1 = W.T., Jr. | journal = Foundations of Physics | volume = 34 | issue = 1 | page = 1 |url=http://physics.uwyo.edu/~tgrandy/evolve.html |arxiv = cond-mat/0303290 |bibcode = 2004FoPh...34....1G }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | url=http://physics.uwyo.edu/~tgrandy/entropy.html | doi=10.1023/B:FOOP.0000012008.36856.c1 | title=Time Evolution in Macroscopic Systems. II. The Entropy | year=2004 | last1=Grandy | first1=W.T., Jr. | journal=Foundations of Physics | volume=34 | issue=1 | page=21 |arxiv = cond-mat/0303291 |bibcode = 2004FoPh...34...21G }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | url=http://physics.uwyo.edu/~tgrandy/applications.html | doi = 10.1023/B:FOOP.0000022187.45866.81 | title=Time Evolution in Macroscopic Systems. III: Selected Applications | year=2004 | last1=Grandy | first1=W. T., Jr | journal=Foundations of Physics | volume=34 | issue=5 | page=771 |bibcode = 2004FoPh...34..771G }}</ref><ref>Grandy 2004 see also [http://physics.uwyo.edu/~tgrandy/Statistical_Mechanics.html].</ref> that entropy, though it may be defined for a non-equilibrium system is—when strictly considered—only a macroscopic quantity that refers to the whole system, and is not a dynamical variable and in general does not act as a local potential that describes local physical forces. Under special circumstances, however, one can metaphorically think as if the thermal variables behaved like local physical forces. The approximation that constitutes classical irreversible thermodynamics is built on this metaphoric thinking. | It is pointed out by W.T. Grandy Jr,<ref>{{cite journal | doi = 10.1023/B:FOOP.0000012007.06843.ed | title = Time Evolution in Macroscopic Systems. I. Equations of Motion | year = 2004 | last1 = Grandy | first1 = W.T., Jr. | journal = Foundations of Physics | volume = 34 | issue = 1 | page = 1 |url=http://physics.uwyo.edu/~tgrandy/evolve.html |arxiv = cond-mat/0303290 |bibcode = 2004FoPh...34....1G }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | url=http://physics.uwyo.edu/~tgrandy/entropy.html | doi=10.1023/B:FOOP.0000012008.36856.c1 | title=Time Evolution in Macroscopic Systems. II. The Entropy | year=2004 | last1=Grandy | first1=W.T., Jr. | journal=Foundations of Physics | volume=34 | issue=1 | page=21 |arxiv = cond-mat/0303291 |bibcode = 2004FoPh...34...21G }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | url=http://physics.uwyo.edu/~tgrandy/applications.html | doi = 10.1023/B:FOOP.0000022187.45866.81 | title=Time Evolution in Macroscopic Systems. III: Selected Applications | year=2004 | last1=Grandy | first1=W. T., Jr | journal=Foundations of Physics | volume=34 | issue=5 | page=771 |bibcode = 2004FoPh...34..771G }}</ref><ref>Grandy 2004 see also [http://physics.uwyo.edu/~tgrandy/Statistical_Mechanics.html].</ref> that entropy, though it may be defined for a non-equilibrium system is—when strictly considered—only a macroscopic quantity that refers to the whole system, and is not a dynamical variable and in general does not act as a local potential that describes local physical forces. Under special circumstances, however, one can metaphorically think as if the thermal variables behaved like local physical forces. The approximation that constitutes classical irreversible thermodynamics is built on this metaphoric thinking. |