Evolution of the Universe in reverse

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the concept of the universe's evolution in reverse, exploring theoretical implications of such a scenario. Participants examine the relationships between black holes, universe contraction, and the attainment of a hot and dense state, while considering the laws of physics and thermodynamics.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant suggests that in a reverse evolution of the universe, black holes would expel matter rather than accrete it.
  • Another participant emphasizes that reversing the universe would contradict the second law of thermodynamics, as entropy would need to decrease.
  • Some participants propose that if the universe were to contract, it would eventually reach a hot and dense state, similar to the beginning of the universe.
  • A participant questions whether universe contraction and reaching a hot dense state could occur without the involvement of black holes.
  • There is a discussion about the nature of black holes and white holes, with some asserting that the time reverse of a black hole is a white hole.
  • Several participants express skepticism about the meaningfulness of discussing a reverse universe, arguing that it does not yield new insights.
  • One participant argues that for the reverse evolution to make sense, the relationships between black holes, contraction, and the hot dense state must be established.
  • Another participant challenges the assumption that black holes must expel their contents for the universe to contract and reach a hot dense state, stating that proof is required for such claims.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of views, with some agreeing on the implications of reversing the universe while others contest the relationships between the key concepts. The discussion remains unresolved regarding whether universe contraction and reaching a hot dense state can occur independently of black holes.

Contextual Notes

Participants note the limitations of discussing a reverse universe, particularly in relation to the laws of thermodynamics and the nature of causality. The discussion highlights the complexity of the assumptions involved in theorizing about the universe's evolution in reverse.

  • #31
Just to understand your point better, would you agree that in case an egg falls on the ground and gets smashed it doesn't make any sense to rund this back in time?
 
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  • #32
DaveC426913 said:
Maybe you should point us at a reference to give us an idea where you're getting all this from. Thatvwoyld be better than this "Broken telephone" deciphering.

I don't get this from anywhere, really all the information I have is the cosmological paradigm, the contraction or expansion of the universe and the hot and dense state, and the fact that black holes exist, which is more than accepted today.

Simply one day 5 or 6 years ago I started with this question, which is basically analyzing the universe in reverse adding black holes (white in reverse) to the image.
 
  • #33
timmdeeg said:
Just to understand your point better, would you agree that in case an egg falls on the ground and gets smashed it doesn't make any sense to rund this back in time?

Yes, I agree
 
  • #34
javisot20 said:
Yes, I agree
Would you also agree that in case a star collapses to a black hole it doesn't make sense to run this back in time?
 
  • #35
timmdeeg said:
Would you also agree that in case a star collapses to a black hole it doesn't make sense to run this back in time?
Yes, I agree
 
  • #36
timmdeeg said:
Would you also agree that in case a star collapses to a black hole it doesn't make sense to run this back in time?
And I guess you'll say now, "So I don't understand anything, how can it be that for 2 and 3 to happen, 1 must happen and that doesn't imply retrocausality?"

Well, for there to be 3 (hot and dense state), there has to be 2 (contraction), and that doesn't imply retrocausality, right?
 
  • #37
javisot20 said:
Ask if there is a relationship in some sense that does not imply retro-causality between those three facts
Go read my post #20.

You are not even formulating a well-defined question. You need to think very carefully about what question you actually want to ask, and then formulate it in a way that is well-defined--if you can. I suspect you can't--that when you actually think carefully, you will find that the question you think you want to ask doesn't even make sense.
 
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  • #38
javisot20 said:
for there to be 3 (hot and dense state), there has to be 2 (contraction)
No. The causal ordering is not changed by running the film in reverse. The causal ordering is that for there to be expansion, there has to be a hot, dense state. Running the film backwards and calling the expansion "contraction" instead does not mean the contraction is now causing the hot, dense state.

This point has already been made earlier in this thread, but you don't seem to be taking it into account. In fact, you don't seem to be taking into account any of the points people have tried to make to show you why the question you are asking doesn't make sense as you are asking it.
 
  • #39
javisot20 said:
And I guess you'll say now, "So I don't understand anything, how can it be that for 2 and 3 to happen, 1 must happen and that doesn't imply retrocausality?"

Well, for there to be 3 (hot and dense state), there has to be 2 (contraction), and that doesn't imply retrocausality, right?
Retrocausality means backwards causation. This can't be applied for 1 and 2 and 3.

For black holes you seem to agree. But e.g. "the universe contracts" can't be applied, because according to the Friedmann Equations the universe expands with the present energy densities.
 
  • #40
timmdeeg said:
according to the Friedmann Equations the universe expands with the present energy densities.
With present energy densities and velocities. If you had a state with the same energy densities but all the velocities reversed (not a "run the film backwards" view but a different state in the forward direction), the universe would be contracting, not expanding. But that is a different solution of the Friedmann equations from the one we actually live in.
 
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  • #41
PeterDonis said:
No. The causal ordering is not changed by running the film in reverse. The causal ordering is that for there to be expansion, there has to be a hot, dense state. Running the film backwards and calling the expansion "contraction" instead does not mean the contraction is now causing the hot, dense state.
And I agree, but here we are mixing the fact that there is no retrocausality (we all agree on this) with the fact that we can "analyze" the universe in the opposite direction, and that in this analysis, even if there is no retrocausality, there must be some analytical relationship between 1, 2 and 3.

That's the assumption that gives rise to my question, I suppose.
 
  • #42
javisot20 said:
here we are mixing the fact that there is no retrocausality (we all agree on this) with the fact that we can "analyze" the universe in the opposite direction
No, we aren't. You are failing to understand that there is no such thing as "analyze the universe in the opposite direction" in the sense you are trying to use the term.

javisot20 said:
in this analysis, even if there is no retrocausality, there must be some analytical relationship between 1, 2 and 3
No. This is wrong. You have been told repeatedly that it is wrong.

javisot20 said:
That's the assumption that gives rise to my question, I suppose.
And that assumption is wrong. You have been told that repeatedly. That is not going to change.

And with that, this thread is now closed.
 

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