Comments on: The loophole in the second law of thermodynamics http://weblogsky.com/2008/10/29/the-loophole-in-the-second-law-of-thermodynamics/ Culture | Media | Technology | Humanities | Future Tue, 31 Aug 2010 21:47:56 -0500 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: HeresTomWithTheWeather http://weblogsky.com/2008/10/29/the-loophole-in-the-second-law-of-thermodynamics/comment-page-1/#comment-143 HeresTomWithTheWeather Fri, 07 Nov 2008 18:18:19 +0000 http://weblogsky.com/2008/10/29/the-loophole-in-the-second-law-of-thermodynamics/#comment-143 the 2nd law applies only to closed systems and the world is not a closed system. the 2nd law applies only to closed systems and the world is not a closed system.

]]> By: jonl http://weblogsky.com/2008/10/29/the-loophole-in-the-second-law-of-thermodynamics/comment-page-1/#comment-95 jonl Wed, 29 Oct 2008 14:11:37 +0000 http://weblogsky.com/2008/10/29/the-loophole-in-the-second-law-of-thermodynamics/#comment-95 Speaking of Dow Jones, James Suroweicki just published something that's relevant, I think: http://www.newyorker.com/talk/financial/2008/11/03/081103ta_talk_surowiecki What you describe is, I think, consistent with what's described in the Scientific American article. It's a question of equilibrium. Speaking of Dow Jones, James Suroweicki just published something that’s relevant, I think:
http://www.newyorker.com/talk/financial/2008/11/03/081103ta_talk_surowiecki

What you describe is, I think, consistent with what’s described in the Scientific American article. It’s a question of equilibrium.

]]> By: Dave Witzel http://weblogsky.com/2008/10/29/the-loophole-in-the-second-law-of-thermodynamics/comment-page-1/#comment-94 Dave Witzel Wed, 29 Oct 2008 14:06:35 +0000 http://weblogsky.com/2008/10/29/the-loophole-in-the-second-law-of-thermodynamics/#comment-94 I'll take the "I'm not a physicist" caveat too, but this makes sense to me. We see lots of curves with variation, but an overall tendency to head in one direction (witness the Dow Jones average). I wonder if we might see "black swans" in the path towards degeneration? Might we see a large swing towards order or disorder that overwhelms previous generations of activity? I’ll take the “I’m not a physicist” caveat too, but this makes sense to me. We see lots of curves with variation, but an overall tendency to head in one direction (witness the Dow Jones average). I wonder if we might see “black swans” in the path towards degeneration? Might we see a large swing towards order or disorder that overwhelms previous generations of activity?

]]> By: jonl http://weblogsky.com/2008/10/29/the-loophole-in-the-second-law-of-thermodynamics/comment-page-1/#comment-93 jonl Wed, 29 Oct 2008 13:48:46 +0000 http://weblogsky.com/2008/10/29/the-loophole-in-the-second-law-of-thermodynamics/#comment-93 I'm not a physicist, but this seems to be new thinking about limits on application of the second law. Reality hasn't changed, just interpretation. *8^) I’m not a physicist, but this seems to be new thinking about limits on application of the second law. Reality hasn’t changed, just interpretation. *8^)

]]> By: Prentiss Riddle http://weblogsky.com/2008/10/29/the-loophole-in-the-second-law-of-thermodynamics/comment-page-1/#comment-92 Prentiss Riddle Wed, 29 Oct 2008 13:20:20 +0000 http://weblogsky.com/2008/10/29/the-loophole-in-the-second-law-of-thermodynamics/#comment-92 This is very interesting, but is it news? Aren't (say) eddies in rivers an everyday example? Or, thinking a little bigger, stars and the life that they spawn by a concentration and subsequent controlled release of energy? This is very interesting, but is it news? Aren’t (say) eddies in rivers an everyday example? Or, thinking a little bigger, stars and the life that they spawn by a concentration and subsequent controlled release of energy?

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