• The Distinction of Past and Future

  • Oct 7 2024
  • Length: 11 mins
  • Podcast

The Distinction of Past and Future

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  • Summary

  • Richard Feynman explores the fundamental difference between the past and the future. He begins by highlighting the obvious irreversibility of natural phenomena, emphasizing that time flows in one direction. However, he then examines the laws of physics, particularly those governing gravity, electricity, and magnetism, and finds that they are inherently time-reversible. This apparent contradiction leads him to delve into the realm of molecular interactions, where he explains that the irreversibility of everyday events arises from the statistical improbability of highly ordered states, even though they are not forbidden by the fundamental laws of physics. He concludes that the universe was likely more ordered in the past, leading to the apparent irreversibility of time, and that our understanding of the world involves a complex hierarchy of ideas, from fundamental laws to more abstract concepts like beauty and hope.
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Physics
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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.