Did you ever read Isaac Asimov's Foundation series? It doesn't precisely frame it in terms of chemistry, but it does posit a form of science ("psychohistory") that can predict trends in large groups of people.
Not a bad idea. I like using network theory to explain just about everything. If this thing really interests you, talk to Joel Levine at Dartmouth. He does this sort of stuff. Of course, not being a student any more might make that awkward...
Well, I don't know if you can necessarily apply the exact same abstract laws to chemistry and humans; the only generalities that would hold might be too vague to mean anything.
But sure, you could try to model a set of interacting humans by tracking some energy-analogue. It would probably have some predictive power; you'll just need a lot of time and cash to get it right.
Yeah, or more like *several* graduate theses. There are many many books on this. It's not my field; I couldn't tell you where to start. Shmike maybe can.
Not sure if I can offer much guidance really. I studied Joel's stuff a great deal and it's pretty impressive. But nobody is as radical or pure as he is. Hence he's somewhat on the fringe. But his stuff is good.
Other analyses that share pieces of what you're talking about do exist. I saw some in business school. To some degree, value system analysis does a bit of this. Some more modern ideas about value systems are viewing them as more networks than chains. Also, there is a general concept of "swarm intelligence" that draws on social network ideas as well as simple rule systems that produce interesting chaotic results.
Wish I could guide you to some more specific stuff.
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;-)
Can I be a noble gas? hehe, I said gas.....
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But sure, you could try to model a set of interacting humans by tracking some energy-analogue. It would probably have some predictive power; you'll just need a lot of time and cash to get it right.
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Other analyses that share pieces of what you're talking about do exist. I saw some in business school. To some degree, value system analysis does a bit of this. Some more modern ideas about value systems are viewing them as more networks than chains. Also, there is a general concept of "swarm intelligence" that draws on social network ideas as well as simple rule systems that produce interesting chaotic results.
Wish I could guide you to some more specific stuff.
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