Lichtenstein, Eli I. (2021) How Anti-Humeans Can Embrace a Thermodynamic Reduction of Time's Causal Arrow. Philosophy of Science, 88 (5). pp. 1161-1171. ISSN 0031-8248
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Lichtenstein (2021) - How Anti-Humeans Can Embrace a Thermodynamic Reduction of Time's Causal Arrow.pdf Download (191kB) |
Abstract
Some argue that time’s causal arrow is grounded in an underlying thermodynamic asymmetry. Often, this is tied to Humean skepticism that causes produce their effects, in any robust sense of ‘produce’. Conversely, those who advocate stronger notions of natural necessity often reject thermodynamic reductions of time’s causal arrow. Against these traditional pairings, I argue that ‘reduction-plus-production’ is coherent. Reductionists looking to invoke robust production can insist that there are metaphysical constraints on the signs of objects’ velocities in any state, given other—including far later—states’ properties. The Past Hypothesis may thus be a metaphysical condition, not a physical law.
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| Item Type: | Published Article or Volume | ||||||
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| Keywords: | Time's arrow, Direction of Time, Thermodynamic asymmetry, Past Hypothesis, Causation, Metaphysical necessity and possibility, Physical necessity and possibility | ||||||
| Subjects: | General Issues > Scientific Metaphysics General Issues > Causation General Issues > Laws of Nature Specific Sciences > Physics > Statistical Mechanics/Thermodynamics |
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| Depositing User: | Eli I. Lichtenstein | ||||||
| Date Deposited: | 11 Oct 2025 12:34 | ||||||
| Last Modified: | 11 Oct 2025 12:34 | ||||||
| Item ID: | 26890 | ||||||
| Journal or Publication Title: | Philosophy of Science | ||||||
| Publisher: | Philosophy of Science Association | ||||||
| Official URL: | https://doi.org/10.1086/715514 | ||||||
| DOI or Unique Handle: | 10.1086/715514 | ||||||
| Subjects: | General Issues > Scientific Metaphysics General Issues > Causation General Issues > Laws of Nature Specific Sciences > Physics > Statistical Mechanics/Thermodynamics |
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| Date: | 2021 | ||||||
| Page Range: | pp. 1161-1171 | ||||||
| Volume: | 88 | ||||||
| Number: | 5 | ||||||
| ISSN: | 0031-8248 | ||||||
| URI: | https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/26890 |
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