arrow of time

E611675

The arrow of time is the concept describing the one-way direction or asymmetry of time, most commonly associated with the increase of entropy and the distinction between past and future.

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arrow of time canonical 1

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Predicate Object
instanceOf philosophical concept
physical concept
time asymmetry
associatedWith distinction between past and future
increase of entropy
time-reversal symmetry breaking
characterizedBy asymmetry between initial and final conditions
macroscopic irreversibility
one-way direction from past to future
time-ordered causation
coinedBy Arthur Eddington NERFINISHED
contrastsWith time-reversal symmetry of microscopic laws
dependsOn low-entropy initial conditions of the universe
describes direction of time
temporal asymmetry
discussedBy Arthur Eddington NERFINISHED
exampleOf time asymmetry in nature
explains why causes precede effects
why macroscopic processes are irreversible
why memories are of the past and not the future
firstDescribedIn The Nature of the Physical World NERFINISHED
hasType causal arrow of time
computational arrow of time
cosmological arrow of time
electromagnetic arrow of time
gravitational arrow of time
psychological arrow of time
quantum arrow of time
radiation arrow of time
thermodynamic arrow of time
involves boundary conditions of the universe
coarse-graining of microstates
probabilistic behavior of many-particle systems
relatedConcept Boltzmann entropy NERFINISHED
Loschmidt paradox NERFINISHED
Poincaré recurrence NERFINISHED
block universe
entropy gradient
presentism
relatesTo causality
cosmology
entropy
irreversibility
second law of thermodynamics
statistical mechanics
thermodynamics
studiedIn cosmology
philosophy of physics
physics
statistical mechanics

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The Direction of Time mainTopic arrow of time