Lazarovici, Dustin and Reichert, Paula (2020) Arrow(s) of Time without a Past Hypothesis.
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Abstract
he paper discusses recent proposals by Carroll and Chen, as well as Barbour, Koslowski, and Mercati to explain the (thermodynamic) arrow of time without a Past Hypothesis, i.e., the assumption of a special (low-entropy) initial state of the universe. After discussing the role of the Past Hypothesis and the controversy about its status, we explain why Carroll's model - which establishes an arrow of time as typical - can ground sensible predictions and retrodictions without assuming something akin to a Past Hypothesis. We then propose a definition of a Boltzmann entropy for a classical $N$-particle system with gravity, suggesting that a Newtonian gravitating universe might provide a relevant example of Carroll's entropy model. This invites comparison with the work of Barbour, Koslowski, and Mercati that identifies typical arrows of time in a relational formulation of classical gravity on shape space. We clarify the difference between this gravitational arrow in terms of shape complexity and the entropic arrow in absolute spacetime, and work out the key advantages of the relationalist theory. We end by pointing out why the entropy concept relies on absolute scales and is thus not relational.
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| Item Type: | Published Article or Volume | |||||||||
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| Additional Information: | Small corrections with respect to the previous preprint and the version published in: Allori, V. (ed.). Statistical Mechanics and Scientific Explanation - Determinism, Indeterminism and Laws of Nature. World Scientific (2020) | |||||||||
| Keywords: | Past Hypothesis, Arrow of Time, Entropy, Statistical Mechanics, Gravity | |||||||||
| Subjects: | Specific Sciences > Physics > Cosmology Specific Sciences > Physics Specific Sciences > Physics > Statistical Mechanics/Thermodynamics |
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| Depositing User: | Dr. Dustin Lazarovici | |||||||||
| Date Deposited: | 14 Jul 2020 03:47 | |||||||||
| Last Modified: | 14 Jul 2020 03:47 | |||||||||
| Item ID: | 17468 | |||||||||
| Subjects: | Specific Sciences > Physics > Cosmology Specific Sciences > Physics Specific Sciences > Physics > Statistical Mechanics/Thermodynamics |
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| Date: | 2020 | |||||||||
| URI: | https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/17468 |
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Arrow(s) of Time without a Past Hypothesis. (deposited 11 Jan 2019 20:37)
- Arrow(s) of Time without a Past Hypothesis. (deposited 14 Jul 2020 03:47) [Currently Displayed]
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