Non-Linear Stability and Non-Equilibrium Thermodynamics-There and Back Again

We discuss the role of thermodynamics in non-linear stability analysis of spatially distributed dissipative systems governed by non-linear partial differential equations. We document profound interplay between various concepts in thermodynamics on one side and non-linear stability analysis on the other side, and subsequently we summarize and comment on various results regarding the non-linear stability of thermodynamically isolated as well as thermodynamically open systems.