On Sun, Oct 18, 2020 at 3:12 AM Alan Grayson <[email protected]> wrote:
> > > On Friday, October 16, 2020 at 1:42:25 AM UTC-6, Jason wrote: >> >> >> >> On Fri, Oct 16, 2020 at 1:47 AM Alan Grayson <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>> >>> >>> On Thursday, October 15, 2020 at 4:51:13 PM UTC-6, Jason wrote: >>>> >>>> I noticed that Victor Stenger's position on entropy, as described here: >>>> https://arxiv.org/pdf/1202.4359.pdf on page 7, appears to be the same >>>> as described by the cosmologist David Layzer in a 1975 issue of Scientific >>>> American: >>>> https://static.scientificamerican.com/sciam/assets/media/pdf/2008-05-21_1975-carroll-story.pdf >>>> >>>> The basic idea, which is described graphically here: >>>> https://www.informationphilosopher.com/solutions/scientists/layzer/arrow_of_time.html >>>> >>>> It is a counter-argument to the commonly expressed idea that the >>>> universe began in a low entropy state. Rather, it explains how the >>>> expansion of the universe increases the state of maximum possible entropy. >>>> If the universe expands more quickly than an equilibrium can be reached, >>>> then there is room for complexity (information / negative entropy) to >>>> increase. >>>> >>>> Why is it that the "low entropy" myth is so persistent, and this >>>> alternate explanation is so little known? Some physicists, such as Penrose >>>> are still looking for alternate explanations for the special low entropy >>>> state. What fraction of physicists are aware of Stenger's/Layzer's view? >>>> Does it appear in any physics textbooks? Has it been refuted? >>>> >>>> Jason >>>> >>> >>> *If the very early universe is a hot photon gas, wouldn't that be a very >>> high entropy initial condition? Why would anyone think the initial state is >>> low entropy? AG* >>> >>> >>> >> >> Entropy could begin at or near it's maximum, but if the maximum entropy >> grows faster than the actual entropy, it provides room for entropy to grow. >> See: https://informationphilosopher.com/solutions/scientists/layzer/ >> >> >> >> Jason >> > > *For a given volume, the entropy is what it is, related to the possible > microstates as given by Boltzmann's formula. If the volume increases, the > entropy increases, and it starts at a maximum level depending on the volume > of the very early universe. So I see no distinguishing the Actual Entropy > from the Maximum Possible Entropy. AG* > > > This article explains the concept in detail for why the total entropy of the system might not grow as quickly as the maximum possible entropy of the system: https://www.informationphilosopher.com/solutions/scientists/layzer/growth_of_order/ "3. The evolution of an isolated system composed of a large number of gravitating particles generates information. In such a system the central density and temperature increase steadily, while the peripheral regions expand and become less dense. Thus a system of this kind evolves away from the maximum-entropy state appropriate to its energy, mass, and radius. A spherical system of gravitating particles confined by a reflecting spherical wall will evolve toward a stable equilibrium configuration if the ratio of the central density to the surface density in this configuration is less than a certain critical value. If the ratio exceeds this value, the equilibrium configuration is unstable and the core will continue to collapse indefinitely." Jason -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Everything List" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/everything-list/CA%2BBCJUiTLiOwLWfEZSS3YpPv7WnjtnuD0K7LTBnmmbn62D_O2A%40mail.gmail.com.
