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Originally Posted by James Putnam
1. The increase of entropy gives direction to the future of the universe.
2. Gravity gives direction to the future of the universe.
3. Electric charge gives direction to the future of the universe.
4. The strong nuclear force gives direction to the future of the universe.
5. The weak nuclear force gives direction to the future of the universe.
I offer the meaning of direction here to be an irreversible change from one state with a recognizable trend toward a new, future state.
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I guess the main issues here, given your definition of "gives direction" to be causing an "irreversible change from one state" to another are two fold:
1) Items 2-5 which are the four fundamental forces of nature (well, two, since 3-5 have been shown to be directly related to one another), are all reversible. As an example, gravity causes a spacecraft to fall towards the planet it is orbiting, but application of force by a rocket "reverses" the "change in state". I guess my question would be here, that the definition of "direction" you have given here is still a bit fuzzy and would benefit from further defintion. It would also be useful to describe your purpose in defining "direction." Several earlier posts by others indicate they have interpreted your meaning as "time" which you have not mentioned in this list. Time is generally believed to be irreversible, however Einsteins and others theories indicate that faster than light travel would proceed in reversed time (you may wish to see some of the discussions elsewhere here regarding tachyons).
2) Item 1 on your list is also a good candidate for showing direction, as it is generally accepted that the second law of thermodynamics implies that entropy increases irreversibly over time in a *closed* system, which the Universe appears to be. Repeating from my earlier post that Thormod seems to have lost in the move of the thread, it is very important to note that this law does *not* apply to systems that are open to external inputs. The law actually shows that if energy/matter is added to a system, that its entropy *decreases*. This is why it is believed by many that the Earth, which is receiving huge amounts of energy from the Sun and vast quantities of matter raining down from the solar system can easily support processes that can be perceived as being "creative" and reducing "chaos." Thus to put this into the discussion of "entropy showing direction", in an open system, energy inputs can locally "reverse" the general entropy direction of the universe, and therefore produce order, and possibly life and intelligence. Thus entropy in and of itself cannot be used effectively to argue that life and intelligence cannot evolve.
Cheers,
Buffy
