Revisiting the Boltzmann Brain Paradox: Can Our Memories Be Random Illusions?

Sun, 03 May 2026 20:27:00 +0200

A new study revisits the unsettling Boltzmann brain hypothesis, which suggests that our memories, perceptions, and observations may not be based on a real past, but instead could arise from random entropy fluctuations. The research, conducted by David Wolpert, Carlo Rovelli, and Jordan Scharnhorst, examines a central paradox in physics: how time and entropy interact in shaping our sense of reality. According to the second law of thermodynamics, entropy tends to increase over time, leading to a direction of time, yet Boltzmann's H theorem suggests that entropy is time-symmetric, meaning it doesn't inherently favor a past or future. This raises a disconcerting possibility that our memories are not reliable records, but instead illusions created by chance. The study also uncovers subtle circular reasoning in many arguments related to time and entropy, offering a more transparent framework to understand these long-standing issues. The findings challenge our basic assumptions about memory,