Keep in mind “heat death” is a thermal concept of a finite amount of energy expanding to infinity. What if space is already infinite? The premise of cosmic expansion is still of the doppler effect. That as space expands, it takes light longer to cross and thus there are more lightyears between galaxies, eventually leading to heat death.
Yet that assumes an otherwise stable speed of light, against which this expansion occurs and it makes this speed the denominator; the units the expansion is denominated in. So what is the basis of the is stable measure, if space itself is expanding?
Also keep in mind that according to measures of mass and gravity, space contracts into galaxies, to the point light is curved around them. These two effects apparently balance out, so why would overall space expand?
Logically some other thermodynamic effect seems to be happening, that of a cosmic convection cycle, of energy radiating out, as mass condenses in.
The problem, again, is intellectual bias.
As mobile organisms, we have the digestive, respiratory and circulatory systems, processing the energy driving us on, along with a central nervous system to process the forms and information precipitating out of this dynamic, so we tend to focus on the patterns generated, than the processes creating them. Math is pattern, yet physics is dynamic. Maps versus territories.
Energy, being dynamic, goes from prior to succeeding configurations, as these configurations come and go. So energy, as process, goes past to future, while form, as patterns, go future to past.
Think of a factory; The product goes start to finish, while the production line goes the other way, consuming material and expelling product.
As individuals, we go birth to death, being in the future, to being in the past. While the species goes onto future generations, shedding old. Our minds and consciousness go from one thought to the next, as these mental configurations come and go.
So, yes, when we study patterns, everything seems destined to end. Yet we are only looking at one side of the cycle.
Patterns do steer the process, much as the success of a product will affect the design of future products. Or one’s life will affect future generations.
Yet we can’t project to infinity, even if our culture assumes ideals. For instance, efficiency is to do more with less, so the ideal of efficiency would be to do everything, with nothing. It’s not so much about where we are going, as the feedback generated.
