"Thermodynamical Equilibrium. Progress of time introduces more of the random element into the constitution of the world. ...[T]he world contains both chance and design, or... antithesis of chance. ...[O]ur method of measurement of entropy: we assign to the organization or non-chance element a measure... proportional to the strength of our disbelief in a chance origin of it. ...The scientific name for a fortuitous concourse of atoms is "thermodynamic equilibrium". ...Thermodynamic equilibrium is the... case... in which no increase in the random element can occur... [i.e.] shuffling is... as thorough as possible. ...In such a region we lose time's arrow. ...[T]he arrow points in the direction of increase of the random element. ...The arrow does not know which direction to point."

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Added on April 10, 2026
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Original Language: English

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pp. 77-79.

https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Entropy_(thermodynamics)