2 ms·

Because everything builds on behavior of elementary particles, which behave randomly, everything more or less must behave randomly. Because of things like laws

Because everything builds on behavior of elementary particles, which behave randomly, everything more or less must behave randomly. Because of things like laws of normal distribution when lots of randomly behaving particles work together we have a way of predicting how the world behaves. But we can never make 100% accurate predictions because at the bottom there is randomness. Butterfly effect amplifies the initial randomness, a small difference in the random initial state can cause big differences in the end-state. But, there even isn't any definite initial state. Therefore Butterfly Effect rules This causes (in my view) the Arrow of Time. Because there are no definite initial conditions there can not be any definite final conditions either. Therefore it would be impossible to "reverse time" by following the equations backwards from a given end-condition, because there are no definite end-conditions. Everything starts with a fuzzy quantum state of say momentum. Even when our equations are deterministic because the initial condition is not knowable in principle neither is the end-condition. And this must apply in the other direction too, reversing the equations and starting from indefinite end-condition we can not "reach back" to a definite "same" initial condition. Therefore Time can not be reversed. Now I am not a professional physicist, this is just my intuition. Based on the above it seems intuitive to me why it is not a mystery that the Arrow of Time can have only one direction.

ksaj 6y ago
Besides the Thermodynamic Arrow of Time, there is also the Adaptive Arrow of Time, which is effectively its reverse. The theory of Natural Selection is an example of the Adaptive Arrow of Time, since over time, variability in a population is minimized instead of maximized, as the law of Thermodynamics would have it. That is to say, in living things, randomness decreases disorder, at least for the time that a thing is living or exhibiting life-like behaviours. Conway's Game of Life is so named because of it. Thermodynamics favours, among a set of probabilities, the most probable state. Natural Selection, on the other hand, favours the improbable state. A purely thermodynamic arrow of time would disallow increasing stability in populations, and the entire concept of species. There are other "arrows of time," but I don't know enough about them to compare. My point is merely that thermodynamics explains only one of them. It is a fascinating topic, and they are all probably related in some magical way we are yet to understand.
- galaxyLogic 6y ago
  It is fascinating. Are there any theories about why and how evolution is able to work in the other direction than "time" in general?
  - ksaj 6y ago
    Here are two videos that explain it better than I ever could here: https://www.complexityexplorer.org/courses/103-origins-of-life/segments/9707 https://www.complexityexplorer.org/courses/103-origins-of-li... https://www.complexityexplorer.org/courses/103-origins-of-life/segments/9708 https://www.complexityexplorer.org/courses/103-origins-of-li... Click on the Lectures tab if you are interested in Origins of Life. I took the course, and fully recommend it. But only these two videos are specific to the topic at hand. Some of the other materials overlap a little with quantum subjects, but it's not really what the course is specifically about. If you're interested in all the stuff you're hearing about COVID-19 with all the vaccine trials etc, and what all this "spike" business is, you'll actually understand it in depth if after going through the course in its entirety. And you'll appreciate on a technical level why they keep hammering you to wash your hands with soap. And as a side effect, you'll at least partially understand how certain quantum calculations work. If I sound like a fanboi, it's because I enjoyed the course greatly. Despite it being so thorough, it is free. I donated, 'cos the world definitely needs more courses like this.

ksaj 6y ago

Besides the Thermodynamic Arrow of Time, there is also the Adaptive Arrow of Time, which is effectively its reverse. The theory of Natural Selection is an example of the Adaptive Arrow of Time, since over time, variability in a population is minimized instead of maximized, as the law of Thermodynamics would have it. That is to say, in living things, randomness decreases disorder, at least for the time that a thing is living or exhibiting life-like behaviours. Conway's Game of Life is so named because of it. Thermodynamics favours, among a set of probabilities, the most probable state. Natural Selection, on the other hand, favours the improbable state. A purely thermodynamic arrow of time would disallow increasing stability in populations, and the entire concept of species. There are other "arrows of time," but I don't know enough about them to compare. My point is merely that thermodynamics explains only one of them. It is a fascinating topic, and they are all probably related in some magical way we are yet to understand.

galaxyLogic 6y ago
It is fascinating. Are there any theories about why and how evolution is able to work in the other direction than "time" in general?
- ksaj 6y ago
  Here are two videos that explain it better than I ever could here: https://www.complexityexplorer.org/courses/103-origins-of-life/segments/9707 https://www.complexityexplorer.org/courses/103-origins-of-li... https://www.complexityexplorer.org/courses/103-origins-of-life/segments/9708 https://www.complexityexplorer.org/courses/103-origins-of-li... Click on the Lectures tab if you are interested in Origins of Life. I took the course, and fully recommend it. But only these two videos are specific to the topic at hand. Some of the other materials overlap a little with quantum subjects, but it's not really what the course is specifically about. If you're interested in all the stuff you're hearing about COVID-19 with all the vaccine trials etc, and what all this "spike" business is, you'll actually understand it in depth if after going through the course in its entirety. And you'll appreciate on a technical level why they keep hammering you to wash your hands with soap. And as a side effect, you'll at least partially understand how certain quantum calculations work. If I sound like a fanboi, it's because I enjoyed the course greatly. Despite it being so thorough, it is free. I donated, 'cos the world definitely needs more courses like this.