On Nov 28, 9:31 am, Michael Helland <
mobyd...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Things happen, but there is no entropy.
That's ambiguous and I suspect even you don't mean which sense you
intended this to mean:
#1 "Things happen, but there is no entropy -- i.e. the entropy of
every system of 0"
or
#2 "Things happen, but there is no entropy -- i.e. the definition of
entropy is logically inconsistent".
The entropy of a system is the amount of information contained in its
microscopic state not visible in its macroscopic state, using the
conversion 1 bit = Boltzmann's constant x ln(2).
There is no logical inconsistency in this statement. So, sense #2 is
ruled out.
If it's to be deemed inconsistent, then that inconsistency can only be
relative to some set of assumptions regarding the physical world. The
only assumption that comes to mind of that nature is that of there
being a well-defined *finite* amount of information contained in the
microscopic structure of any system. But if it's not finite, then
there'd be no need for storage technology, since there'd be an
infinite capacity for storing information in even the tiniest system
(like a human brain). The mere fact that people have limited memories
and intelligence amply demonstrates otherwise.
And finally: you do NOT know every last microscopic detail of a system
(otherwise there'd be no need for computers). Therefore sense #1 is
ruled out.