Time's arrow: the origins of thermodynamic behavior

Written by a well-known professor of physiology at McGill University, this text presents an informative exploration of the basis of the Second Law of Thermodynamics, detailing the fundamental dynamic properties behind the construction of statistical mechanics.Topics include maximal entropy principles; invertible and noninvertible systems; ergodicity and unique equilibria; asymptotic periodicity and entropy evolution; and open discrete and continuous time systems. The author demonstrates that the black body radiation law can be deduced from maximal entropy principles; discusses sufficient condi