I in my infinite ego, felt I knew my physics very well. Don't we all do that?. We like to believe what we think we know. (Dunning Kruger effect anyone?)
And I am reading this fascinating book (more on the book later) about meaning and physics....and it has a fantastic argument about the 2nd law of thermodynamics. It states that entropy can reverse, which means we can get to a lower entropy state from a higher entropy state, but that requires some fantastic probability and coincidence to work in your favor.
I found that thought very insightful. Very very insightful actually. It had me thinking for a long time after reading it - that's so bloody true. The example the author gives is you throw 100 coins on the floor and all of them turn heads. Possible? Yes of course. But this requires some impossible probabilities to work in your favor.
And a low entropy state is defined as one - in which the options are much lower - example 100 heads, versus 50 heads+50 tails (where state options are more)....which is where entropy is actually headed.
I realized that I had always understood entropy slightly wrong. My physics refreshed and my ego crushed :-).
And I am reading this fascinating book (more on the book later) about meaning and physics....and it has a fantastic argument about the 2nd law of thermodynamics. It states that entropy can reverse, which means we can get to a lower entropy state from a higher entropy state, but that requires some fantastic probability and coincidence to work in your favor.
I found that thought very insightful. Very very insightful actually. It had me thinking for a long time after reading it - that's so bloody true. The example the author gives is you throw 100 coins on the floor and all of them turn heads. Possible? Yes of course. But this requires some impossible probabilities to work in your favor.
And a low entropy state is defined as one - in which the options are much lower - example 100 heads, versus 50 heads+50 tails (where state options are more)....which is where entropy is actually headed.
I realized that I had always understood entropy slightly wrong. My physics refreshed and my ego crushed :-).
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