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  4. Where Physics Meets Business: Entropy, Networks, and First Principles in Strategy

Cross-Domain reading list | Reading time: 1 minute | Updated March 2026 | 5 resources

Where Physics Meets Business: Entropy, Networks, and First Principles in Strategy

Feynman, entropy, network dynamics, scaling laws—physics principles applied to business strategy.

Physics provides the most rigorous mental models for business because it deals with fundamental forces, constraints, and scaling behaviour that operate regardless of human intention. Musk's first-principles reasoning is physics applied to cost structures; Feynman's approach to problem-solving is physics applied to thinking.

Scaling and Networks

Scale

Geoffrey West · Book

Scaling laws in biology, cities, and companies—why growth changes the rules, with mathematical foundation.

Linked

Albert-László Barabási · Book

Network science—power laws, hubs, and cascading failure applied to markets and organisations.

First Principles and Reasoning

Feynman Lectures on Physics (selected)

Richard Feynman · Speech

Deriving from scratch rather than memorising—the method behind first-principles reasoning.

Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!

Richard Feynman · Book

Problem-solving memoir—curiosity, safe-cracking, and the art of figuring things out.

Entropy and Organisation

The Second Law (thermodynamics primers)

Various · Book

Entropy as organisational decay—systems require energy input to maintain order. Every company experiences this.

Go deeper in the FTN Library

Elon MuskRichard FeynmanCharlie Munger

Related mental models

first principles thinkingfeedback loopsantifragilitysecond order thinking

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