On the relation between the Maximum Entropy Principle and the principle of Least Effort: The continuous case

Abdelatif Agouzal and Thierry Lafouge

Journal of Informetrics, 2008, vol. 2, issue 1, 75-88

Abstract: The Maximum Entropy Principle (MEP) maximizes the entropy provided that the effort remains constant. The Principle of Least Effort (PLE) minimizes the effort provided that the entropy remains constant. The paper investigates the relation between these two principles. In some kinds of effort functions, called admissible, it is shown that these two principles are equivalent. The results are illustrated by the size–frequency statistical distribution met in infometry in Information Production Processes.

Keywords: Maximum Entropy Principle; Principle of Least Effort; Effort function; Inverse power function (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2008
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:infome:v:2:y:2008:i:1:p:75-88

DOI: 10.1016/j.joi.2007.10.002

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