A Phenomenological Energy–Entropy Model of Stress in Physical, Biological, and Social Systems

Entropy is known to increase monotonically in closed physical systems, while living and social systems maintain ordered structures. In this paper, we propose a phenomenological energy– entropy framework in which stress emerges from deviations between intrinsic and externally imposed entropy gradients. By decomposing energy into physical, social, and environmental components, we derive both static and dynamic conditions for stress minimization. The frame- work naturally extends from individual systems to social and organizational dynamics, providing a quantitative interpretation of stress induced by rapid social change.