kgwgk

38 ms·

751.
by kgwgk 2y ago
I’d say that the concept of entropy “in physics” is about (even better: starts with) the choice of a probability distribution. Without that you have just a number associated with each probability distribution - distributions without any phy
752.
by kgwgk 2y ago
The second law of thermodynamics is about systems that are well described by a small set of macroscopic variables. The evolution of an initial macrostate prepared by an experimenter who can control only the macrovariables is reproducible. W
753.
by kgwgk 2y ago
Ok, I don’t think we disagree. But knowing that entropy is a property of a distribution given by that equation is far from “being it” as a definition of the concept of entropy in physics. Anyway, it seems that - like many others - I just mi
754.
by kgwgk 2y ago
One could also say that it’s just a consequence of the passage of time (as in getting away from a boundary condition). The decay of radioactive atoms is also a measure of the arrow of time - of course we can say that’s the same thing. CP vi
755.
by kgwgk 2y ago
> not very compatible with Shannon's usage in any but the shallowest sense The connection is not so shallow, there are entire books based on it. “The concept of information, intimately connected with that of probability, gives indee
756.
by kgwgk 2y ago
Misconceptions about entropy are misconceptions about physics. You can’t dispell them focusing on the maths and ignoring the physics entirely - especially if you just write an equation without any conceptual discussion, not even mathematic
757.
by kgwgk 2y ago
Would you say that Geometry is as much a part of physics as Optics is?
758.
by kgwgk 2y ago
You didn’t introduce any idea. You said it’s “just a number” and wrote down a formula without any explanation or justification. I concede that it was much shorter though. Well done!
759.
by kgwgk 2y ago
That covers one and a half of the twelve points he discusses.
760.
by kgwgk 2y ago
The family would be too much effort for negative money.
761.
by kgwgk 2y ago
How is what related to what? I agree with what you wrote. The people running Biden's campaign were not told the news 10 hours in advance - nor 10 minutes in advance. I doubt those messages were sent by the same people.
762.
by kgwgk 2y ago
They found out on Twitter: https://x.com/politico/status/1815098672113402138
763.
by kgwgk 2y ago
> The fixed schedule is the case for most EU countries, in Belgium every 4 year we go out and vote. I think you mean 5, not 4. > The only possible way to vote earlier is when a government falls and they write out new elections but tha
764.
by kgwgk 2y ago
It’s funny how Monsanto is such an evil company [*] that it harms so many countries when it sells to them - and Cuba when it can’t. [*] According to many people, I’m not talking about the parent comment.
765.
by kgwgk 2y ago
When the first words in the first article in their constitution state that > The People's Republic of China is a socialist state it seems warranted to say that China self-identifies as a socialist state. You're of course free [
766.
by kgwgk 2y ago
By your comment, I assume that you don't see a difference between "not having a commercial relationship with a country" and "invading and annexing a country".
767.
by kgwgk 2y ago
Q: What does the CCP think about that? A: We respond that socialism with Chinese characteristics is socialism Full quote: Some have called our road "Social Capitalism", others "State Capitalism", and yet others "Tec
768.
by kgwgk 2y ago
People will always find reasons to complain: ‘Cliched’: Turkish-Germans react as president brings kebab on Istanbul trip https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/apr/24/cliched-turkis... (Not trying to mak
769.
by kgwgk 2y ago
China also self-identifies as a socialist state - like Laos and Vietnam. No need to hurt their feelings.
770.
by kgwgk 2y ago
Was the USSR brutally sanctioned by a superpower? It was a superpower itself - it was supposed to be even more of a superpower! "In the 1961 edition of his famous textbook of economic principles, Paul Samuelson wrote that GNP in the So
771.
by kgwgk 2y ago
That's right. US trade with China has exploded in the last couple of decades and China's communist regime is falling apart quickly.
772.
by kgwgk 2y ago
I guess that the million people who have escaped in the last couple of years are also guilty of something.
773.
by kgwgk 2y ago
China is Cuba's main commercial partner but their relationship is purely commercial. A military cooperation has surely not even crossed their minds.
774.
by kgwgk 2y ago
It's what has been happening lately in the US. Not based on quotas but on putting people on buses: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/20/us/abbott-texas-migrant-b... It has had interesting consequences
775.
by kgwgk 2y ago
Reminds me of what they say about composer Johann Sebastian Mastropiero: « Whenever -due to economic necessity- Mastropiero was forced to compose music by request or commission, produced mediocre and inexpressive works. On the contrary, whe
776.
by kgwgk 2y ago
> how is it then, that things are becoming more spread out over time? This may help: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Classical-evolution-in-p... If we knew the present we could predict the future - at least in c
777.
by kgwgk 2y ago
If in “time going forwards” a ball hits another one at rest and you “reverse time” right after the collision won’t the “time going backwards” get that ball in rest again? (You’re the one who mentioned physics being symmetrical.) The point i
778.
by kgwgk 2y ago
> In a vacuum no ball will ever go to rest if it's moving. When a moving ball hits another massive ball that was in its way it’s pretty safe to assume that it was not moving in a vacuum.
779.
by kgwgk 2y ago
> Haven't you heard of quantum mechanics. Haven't you looked at the article I sent which says "quantum" in every other page. Haven't you heard of its author Roger Balian and his (two-volume) book From microphysi
780.
by kgwgk 2y ago
> Another thing is all of these systems have probability travel in a single direction. Things with high probability are more likely to happen. If time were to go backwards, low probability events will start to spontaneously occur. If I s

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