Abstract
History has shown that humanity works best when freedom is maximized. A topic like "How Should Humanity Steer the Future" requires extreme idealization, and something resembling a statistical mechanics approach, leading to a thermodynamic model. Thermodynamics does work only when a system has free energy. We link these different concepts of freedom in this essay. Statistical mechanics treats large numbers of elements, N, and total energy, E. The energy of labor, if not completely controlled by force, is controlled by money, so we will measure energy in dollars. This applies generally to the electrical energy one buys from a power company or to physical work one does on a day-to-day basis. "Steer" is a control concept implying a goal, therefore we formulate two idealized goals and analyze their implications. To be relevant to reality, we address two real goals, argued every day in the world, but simplified to allow analysis.
Edwin Eugene Klingman