The Trouble with Disorder: On the Subjectivity of Entropy Interpretations

In this brief note, we critically examine the common interpretation that an increase in thermal entropy corresponds to an increase in disorder. We argue that it is preferable to adhere strictly to the mathematical definitions of thermal entropy to avoid misconceptions because the interpretation of disorder is subjective and context-dependent. Furthermore, we highlight a similar ambiguity surrounding information entropy, which is inherently subjective just like the related disorder.