Entropy from Clausius to Kolmogorov: historical evolution of an open concept.

This communication is focused on a survey of entropy definitions that highlights the multifaceted nature of this basic concept. In literature there are more than 40 definitions, corresponding to distinct formal objects sharing a common name whose physical meanings strictly dependent on the disciplinary contexts wherein they were conceived. A historical contextualization of some paradigmatic entropy definitions helped to understand the origin of such epistemological plurality: entropy stands out as an “open concept” that underwent (and undergoes) a continuous evolution under the influence of socio-economic and cultural elements.