Book contents
- The Arrow of Time
- The Arrow of Time
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Contributors
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- Part I Local Systems
- Part II The Arrow of Time and Philosophical Issues
- 4 Explaining the Psychological Arrow of Time in Time-Symmetric Physics
- 5 The Consequence Argument Meets the Mentaculus
- 6 “Freedom from the Inside Out”: Revisited
- 7 The Arrow of Time Is Alive and Well but Forbidden under the Received View in Physics
- Part III The Arrow of Time and Time-Reversal Invariance
- Part IV The Whole Universe
- Index
- References
7 - The Arrow of Time Is Alive and Well but Forbidden under the Received View in Physics
from Part II - The Arrow of Time and Philosophical Issues
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 28 October 2025
Book contents
- The Arrow of Time
- The Arrow of Time
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Contributors
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- Part I Local Systems
- Part II The Arrow of Time and Philosophical Issues
- 4 Explaining the Psychological Arrow of Time in Time-Symmetric Physics
- 5 The Consequence Argument Meets the Mentaculus
- 6 “Freedom from the Inside Out”: Revisited
- 7 The Arrow of Time Is Alive and Well but Forbidden under the Received View in Physics
- Part III The Arrow of Time and Time-Reversal Invariance
- Part IV The Whole Universe
- Index
- References
Summary
This chapter offers a meta-level analysis in the sociology and history of physics in the context of the “Arrow of Time” or the so-called Two Times problem. In effect, it argues that the two topics are intertwined, and it is only by coming to grips with the sociological aspects, involving adherence to certain metaphysical, epistemological, and methodological assumptions. Our argument is that the so-called Arrow of Time Problem or Two Times Problem (TTP) is essentially a myth. It is an article of faith that is contradicted by actual theoretical practice, in which the applicable physical theory does possess an Arrow of Time and must do so in order to account for the propagation of real energy and other conserved currents. Belief in the TTP is upheld only through entrenched adherence to a set of primarily metaphysical beliefs of a predominant Received View of physics that themselves are contradicted by the empirical facts, by current theory, and by inconsistencies among the beliefs themselves.
Information
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- Information
- The Arrow of TimeFrom Local Systems to the Whole Universe, pp. 140 - 158Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2025
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