  A nonequilibrium thermodynamic theory demonstrating an induction effect of a
statistical nature is presented. We have shown that this thermodynamic
induction can arise in a class of systems that have variable kinetic
coefficients (VKC). In particular if a kinetic coefficient associated with a
given thermodynamic variable depends on another thermodynamic variable then we
have derived an expression that can predict the extent of the induction. The
amount of induction is shown to be proportional to the square of the driving
force. The nature of the intervariable coupling for the induction effect has
similarities with the Onsager symmetry relations, though there is an important
sign difference as well as the magnitudes not being equal. Thermodynamic
induction adds nonlinear terms that improve the stability of stationary states,
at least within the VKC class of systems. Induction also produces a term in the
expression for the rate of entropy production that could be interpreted as
self-organization. Many of these results are also obtained using a variational
approach, based on maximizing entropy production, in a certain sense.
Non-equilibrium quantities analogous to the free energies of equilibrium
thermodynamics are introduced.
