Wayne Myrvold: Entropy Isn't Real; It's What You Don't Know

Wayne Myrvold reinterprets thermodynamics as a resource theory, arguing that the slogan “entropy always increases” follows from the second law rather than defining it. The conversation contrasts Gibbs and Boltzmann entropy, examines Maxwell’s demon, Landauer erasure, statistical bounds on Carnot efficiency, and explores implications for cosmology, ergodicity, and collapse theories, ending with pedagogical reflections and career advice.0:00 Is entropy in the system or in our minds?7:12 Original thermodynamics as a resource theory of heat and power18:24 The second law does not assume entropy; entropy requires the second law30:58 From caloric to molecular motion: historical view39:04 Maxwell's insight: why the second law is not absolute48:11 Information as a resource: knowledge and entropy1:00:53 Boltzmann vs Gibbs: objective vs subjective entropy1:10:24 Maxwell's demon and Landauer's principle1:25:02 The inevitable "heat death" of the universe?1:30:19 Why "disorder" misleads1:35:21 Ergodic hypothesis: relevance and limits1:43:52 Is statistical mechanics on shaky ground (like QFT)?1:50:50 Career advice: do not join bandwagonsRESOURCES:- Join My New Substack (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com- Ted Jacobson [TOE]: https://youtu.be/3mhctWlXyV8- Concerning Several Conveniently Applicable Forms For The Main Equations Of The Mechanical Heat Theory [Paper]: https://web.lemoyne.edu/giunta/Clausius1865.pdf- John Norton [TOE]: https://youtu.be/Tghl6aS5A3M- On An Absolute Thermometric Scale [Paper]: https://sites.pitt.edu/~jdnorton/teaching/2559_Therm_Stat_Mech/docs/Thomson_1848.pdf- Carnot Efficiency: https://energyeducation.ca/encyclopedia/Carnot_efficiency- Maxwell's Talk On Molecules: https://victorianweb.org/science/maxwell/molecules.html- Helmholtz Free Energy: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/helmholtz-free-energy- Boltzmann Entropy: https://chem.libretexts.org/Courses/Western_Washington_University/Biophysical_Chemistry_(Smirnov_and_McCarty)/01%3A_Biochemical_Thermodynamics/1.05%3A_The_Boltzmann_Distribution_and_the_Statistical_Definition_of_Entropy- Maxwell's Letter: https://cudl.lib.cam.ac.uk/view/PH-CAVENDISH-P-00092/1- Landauer's Principle: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S135521980300039X- On A Universal Tendency In Nature To The Dissipation Of Mechanical Energy: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14786445208647126- Neil Turok [TOE]: https://youtu.be/zNZCa1pVE20- Roger Penrose [TOE]: https://youtu.be/sGm505TFMbU- Sean Carroll [TOE]: https://youtu.be/9AoRxtYZrZo- Understanding The Infinite [Book]: https://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Infinite-Shaughan-Lavine/dp/0674921178- Classical Electrodynamics [Book]: https://www.amazon.com/Classical_Electrodynamics-John-David-Jackson/dp/1119770769- Why Information Is Entropy [YouTube]: https://youtu.be/8Uilw9t-syQ Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal features long-form, technically detailed interviews with leading researchers in physics, mathematics, consciousness, and philosophy, exploring topics at the level of active research. For academics, graduate students, and anyone seeking depth beyond popular science. SPONSOR: I personally subscribe to The Economist. TOE listeners get 35% off the annual subscription. No other podcast has this! https://economist.com/TOE Every episode days early, ad-free, plus my essays: https://curtjaimungal.substack.com/subscribe - Crypto: https://nowpayments.io/donation/TOE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices