Jonathan Gorard: Quantum Gravity & Wolfram Physics Project
Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal
Entropy and the time inversion problem of observation
The standard explanation of entropy increase, based on the number of microstates consistent with a macrostate, seems convincing at first but lacks a time asymmetry. While it holds that less ordered states are more numerous than ordered ones, this explanation fails to align with observations in thermodynamic systems. This conceptual problem extends to a statistical mechanical point of view, particularly when applied to broader systems like the early universe. The contradiction arises when entropy is expected to increase as we move away from the Big Bang, but observations near the initial singularity show a smooth, high entropy state. This discrepancy challenges our understanding of the second law of thermodynamics and remains an unresolved issue, with speculative theories like conformal cyclic cosmology attempting to provide explanations.
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