Time and Chance

Why time goes in one direction only is a question which has puzzled many people, but especially philosophers of science. In 'Time and Chance', David Z Albert examines how thermodynamics fits in with the direction of time, and shows the fallacies in arguments which have tried to deduce the arrow of time from thermodynamic behaviour. He writes with a conversational, and sometimes confrontational style, which makes a refreshing change from some works in the philosophy of science. The book does not require a great deal of prior knowledge, since the necessary thermodynamics and statistical mechanics are introduced in the first few chapters, with plenty of helpful diagrams. Thus Albert explains the problems with the idea that the universe began as a chance event - if you think it did then you are led to believe that only your immediate surroundings arose, and that happened only a few seconds ago, with your past memories happening by chance.

Unfortunately as the book continues the frequency of diagrams and other clarifying features tends to decrease, just when the reader is in most need of such help. The confrontational style goes on, but it becomes harder to follow the argument - is Albert just saying the same thing over and over again, or is he finding fault with all other points of view just for the sake of it. He concludes that there is no way that the arrow of time can fit in with classical thermodynamics, but I didn't find his arguments very persuasive. If you do then the final chapter gives Albert's way out of the problem, based on a collapse interpretation of quantum mechanics.