In history thermodynamics, David Porreca (c.1973-) is a Canadian classical and medieval studies scholar noted for []

Overview
In 2012, Porreca launched a project to study the “big history” of the rise and fall of civilizations in terms of thermodynamics; possibly something along the lines of David Christian's 2004 Maps of Time: an Introduction to Big History, which utilizes thermodynamics. [1] The following is one of Porreca's Q&A answers to this teaching method, in regards to thermodynamics incorporation:

“My lecturing involves raising provocative questions in contexts that would not, a priori, lead in those directions. How, for example, are the laws of thermodynamics related to the capacity of organized societies to centralize control over resources? How are both related to levels of literacy? How is the “collapse” of a society actually experienced by its inhabitants?”

Interesting to see Porreca here, posting openly on his faculty page, how he openly lectures on human thermodynamics to his classical and medieval studies students. Other noted historical college human thermodynamics lecturers include: Leon Winiarski (1894-1900), Richard Piccard (1997-2006), Bruce Clarke (2009), Libb Thims (2010-present; see: Thims lectures), to name a few.


An interview of Porreca discussing his 2012-launched research project into the thermodynamics of rise and fall of civilizations.

An interview of Porreca discussing his 2012-launched research project into the thermodynamics of rise and fall of civilizations.

Education
Porreca competed his PhD in 2001 with a dissertation on “The Influence of Hermetic Texts on Western Europe Philosophers and Theologians (1160-1300)” at the University of London. Currently, he is a professor of classical and medieval studies at the University of Waterloo, Canada.

See also
● Human thermodynamics education

External links
● David Porreca (faculty) – University of Waterloo, Canada.