Summary
Roger Penrose quantified the improbability of the universe’s low-entropy beginning, showing it to be an extraordinarily special initial condition.
Observation / Fact
Penrose estimated the phase-space volume corresponding to a life-permitting, low-entropy initial state as roughly 1 part in 10^(10^123) of all possible states compatible with the laws of physics.
Why This Is Non-Trivial
This number vastly exceeds ordinary improbability and is not comparable to chance events within the universe. It reflects the rarity of the universe’s initial configuration, not later outcomes.
What It Implies
The universe did not begin in a generic state. Its initial conditions were set with extreme precision, demanding an explanation beyond blind statistical selection.
Related
- Low-Entropy Big Bang
- The Second Law of Thermodynamics