Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal

Julian Barbour: The Physicist Who Says Time Doesn't Exist

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Nov 16, 2024

Julian Barbour, a pioneering physicist, shares his groundbreaking ideas on time as an emergent property rather than a fundamental entity. He discusses how time can be perceived as a sequence of static states and the influence of thinkers like Mach and Leibniz on this view. The conversation delves into Mach's principle and its role in linking motion and mass, while also critiquing traditional cosmological models. Barbour emphasizes the intricate relationship between complexity, entropy, and the universe's evolving nature, challenging established physics and inviting listeners to rethink reality.

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ANECDOTE

Independent Research

Julian Barbour, unlike most physicists, contributes meaningfully to fundamental physics outside academia.
He funded his research by translating Russian scientific journals for 28 years.

INSIGHT

Time as Abstraction

Time is not a fundamental property but an abstraction deduced from change, according to Ernst Mach.
Instants of time are complete shapes of the universe, forming a succession.

INSIGHT

Simultaneity and Quantum Gravity

Dirac proposed restoring simultaneity in quantum gravity, eliminating redundant degrees of freedom.
This matches observations like the microwave background, defining a universal rest frame.

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Leibniz: philosophical writings

Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz

This book is a compilation of Leibniz's philosophical works, which were not consolidated into a single canonical text during his lifetime. It includes key writings such as 'Discourse on Metaphysics,' 'Primary Truths,' and correspondence with other thinkers. The collection reflects Leibniz's broad range of interests and his attempts to reconcile modern philosophy with ancient and medieval thought. It covers topics such as metaphysics, the nature of truth, the principle of sufficient reason, and the concept of monads, providing a comprehensive view of Leibniz's philosophical system.

Elementary Principles in Statistical Mechanics

Josiah Willard Gibbs

Published in March 1902, this book by Josiah Willard Gibbs is a seminal work in the field of statistical mechanics. It integrates the laws of thermodynamics with classical mechanics, introducing the concept of 'ensemble' which is a collection of indistinguishable replicas of a system. Gibbs showed how statistical mechanics could be used to extend thermodynamics beyond classical systems, including microscopic and non-extensive systems. The book remains a cornerstone in the field despite the advancements in modern physics[4][5].

The Janus Point

A New Theory of Time

Julian Barbour

In 'The Janus Point', Julian Barbour presents a radically new answer to the question of why time seems to flow in one direction. He argues that the second law of thermodynamics has been misapplied and that the growth of order, rather than disorder, determines how we experience time. Barbour introduces the concept of the 'Janus Point', a moment of minimal order from which time flows in two directions, driven by the expansion of the universe and the growth of order in galaxies, planets, and life. This theory offers a hopeful argument about the destiny of our universe, suggesting that order can grow without bound rather than leading to disorder[2][3][5].

On the Nature of Things

Titus Lucretius Carus

Written in the early 50s BC, *On the Nature of Things* is a six-book poem that delves into the principles of Epicurean philosophy. It explores the atomic system, the nature of the mind and spirit, sensation and thought, and various celestial and terrestrial phenomena. The poem aims to show that everything in nature can be explained by natural laws without divine intervention, thereby promoting a life of tranquility and happiness. Lucretius argues against the fear of death and the gods, emphasizing that the universe operates according to physical principles guided by chance rather than divine will[2][4][5].

In today's episode of Theories of Everything, Curt Jaimungal and Julian Barbour challenge conventional physics by exploring Barbour's revolutionary ideas on time as an emergent property of change, the universe's increasing order contrary to entropy, and the foundational nature of shape dynamics.

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LINKED MENTIONED:

- The Janus Point (Julian Barbour’s book): https://www.amazon.com/Janus-Point-New-Theory-Time/dp/0465095461

- ‘Relational Concepts of Space and Time’ (Julian Barbour’s 1982 paper): https://www.jstor.org/stable/687224

- ‘The Theory of Gravitation’ (Paul Dirac’s 1958 paper): https://www.jstor.org/stable/100497

- Carlo Rovelli on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hF4SAketEHY

- ‘On the Nature of Things’ (book): https://www.hup.harvard.edu/books/9780674992009

- Leibniz: Philosophical Writings (book): https://www.amazon.com/Leibniz-Philosophical-Writings-Everymans-University/dp/0460119052

- Elementary Principles of Statistical Mechanics (book): https://www.amazon.com/Elementary-Principles-Statistical-Mechanics-Physics/dp/0486789950

- The interpretations of quantum mechanics in 5 minutes (article): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com/p/the-interpretations-of-quantum-mechanics

- Sean Carroll on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AoRxtYZrZo

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction

02:12 - Working Outside of Academia

03:53 - Space, Time, Dimension

10:40 - Mach’s Principle

21:33 - Mach Confused Einstein

24:22 - Two Particle Universe

31:46 - Carlo Rovelli

35:02 - Julian’s Ontology

43:37 - Julian’s Theory ‘Shape Statistics’

51:11 - Leinbiz’s Philosophical Writings

56:14 - Expansion of the Universe (Scale Invariance)

01:05:02 - Cosmological Principle

01:15:34 - Thermodynamics

01:17:15 - Entropy and Complexity

01:30:40 - Wave Function / Double Slit Experiment

01:39:21 - God

01:44:48 - The Role of Instruments

01:47:44 - Etymology of Pattern and Matter

01:51:25 - Join My Substack!