Record Details

Information Theoretic Approach to Social Networks

Journal of Economic and Social Thought

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Field Value
 
Title Information Theoretic Approach to Social Networks
 
Creator KAFRI, Oded
 
Subject Social networks; Economic networks; Information theory.
C62.
 
Description Abstract. We propose an information theoretic model for sociological networks. The model is a micro canonical ensemble of states and particles. The states are the possible pairs of nodes (i.e. people, sites and alike) which exchange information. The particles are the energetic information bits. With analogy to bosons gas, we define for these networks’ model: entropy, volume, pressure and temperature. We show that these definitions are consistent with Carnot efficiency (the second law) and ideal gas law. Therefore, if we have two large networks: hot and cold having temperatures TH and TC and we remove Q energetic bits from the hot network to the cold network we can save W profit bits. The profit will be calculated from W< Q (1-TH/TC), namely, Carnot formula. In addition it is shown that when two of these networks are merged the entropy increases. This explains the tendency of economic and social networks to merge.Keywords: Social networks, Economic networks, Information theory.JEL. C62.
 
Publisher Journal of Economic and Social Thought
Journal of Economic and Social Thought
 
Contributor —
 
Date 2017-02-14
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
—
 
Format application/pdf
 
Identifier http://www.kspjournals.org/index.php/JEST/article/view/1162
10.1453/jest.v4i1.1162
 
Source Journal of Economic and Social Thought; Vol 4, No 1 (2017): March; 77-83
Journal of Economic and Social Thought; Vol 4, No 1 (2017): March; 77-83
2149-0422
 
Language eng
 
Relation http://www.kspjournals.org/index.php/JEST/article/view/1162/1209
 
Rights Copyright (c) 2017 Journal of Economic and Social Thought
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0