On the relation between the Maximum Entropy Principle and the Principle of Least Effort

• Published in: Mathematical and computer modelling Vol. 43; no. 1; pp. 1 - 8
• Main Authors: Egghe, L., Lafouge, T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 2006; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Equivalence; Exact sciences and technology; Information, signal and communications theory; Mathematical methods; Mathematics; Maximum Entropy Principle; Methods of scientific computing (including symbolic computation, algebraic computation); Numerical analysis. Scientific computation; Principle of Least Effort; Principle of Most Effort; Sciences and techniques of general use; Telecommunications and information theory; Maximum Entropy Principle; Equivalence; Principle of Least Effort; Principle of Most Effort; Applied mathematics; Maximum principle; Method of maximum entropy; Mathematical model; Least effort
• ISSN: 0895-7177; 1872-9479; 1872-9479
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mcm.2004.01.017

The Maximum Entropy Principle (MEP) maximises the entropy subject to the constraint that the effort remains constant. The Principle of Least Effort (PLE) minimises the effort subject to the constraint that the entropy remains constant. The paper investigates the relation between these two principles. It is shown that (MEP) is equivalent with the principle “(PLE) or (PME)” where (PME) is (introduced in this paper) the Principle of Most Effort, meaning that the effort is maximised subject to the constraint that the entropy remains constant.