Single Idea 22906

[catalogued under 27. Natural Reality / D. Time / 2. Passage of Time / g. Time's arrow]

Full Idea

The coincidence of thermodynamic direction and the direction of time is striking, but they can't be one and the same because the thermodynamic law is merely probabilistic. Orderliness could increase, but it is highly improbable

Gist of Idea

The direction of entropy is probabilistic, not necessary, so cannot be identical to time's arrow

Source

Adrian Bardon (Brief History of the Philosophy of Time [2013], 5 'Thermodynamic')

Book Reference

Bardon,Adrian: 'Brief History of the Philosophy of Time' [OUP 2013], p.115


A Reaction

This seems to be persuasive grounds for rejecting thermodynamics as the explanation of time's arrow.

Related Idea

Idea 22905 Becoming disordered is much easier for a system than becoming ordered [Bardon]