Re: Entropy question


Hi, Andy,


> I don't know if you read these 2 papers by Jaynes mentioned in another,
> similar, thread:
>
> Phys. Rev. 106, 620-630 (1957)
> Phys. Rev. 108, 171-190 (1957)


Thanks for the references, which I will read. However, are you saying
that statistical mechanics supersedes normal mechanics? I cannot go
along with that.

> All I'm saying is that there's more to statistical mechanics than just
> statistics and mechanics. There seems to be a way to generate
> higher-level structure: emergence is the current buzzword, I think.

IMHO "emergence" is the second-last refuge of the scoundrel.

Yes, structures emerge, usually when they have been designed in
(including evolution as the blind watchmaker). They can be explained
adequately by statistical mechanics, but the systems actually obey the
standard laws of mechanics, which cannot be discarded if you want to
understand the kinetics of the process.

Cheers,

Zigoteau.

.