Boltzmann-Schuetz hypothesis
Boltzmann and Schuetz claimed that in a universe that is near thermal equilibrium, and given sufficient time, there will be regions where there is a temporary deviation into a low entropy state, from which it will trend back to equilibrium. Anthropic selection accounts for us being in such a region.
Boltzmann suggested this explanation in a letter to Nature in 1895 - he attributes the idea 'to my old assistant Dr Schuetz'. The basic idea is depicted in the following diagram. The downward spikes represent low-entropy occurrences, with the system in the high entropy state most of the time. We are presumed to be at some position like A or B  - the slope doesn't matter (case C is discussed elsewhere).


Note that in the passage cited below Boltzmann presumes that the thermodynamic arrow determines the psychological arrow of time. This issue is explored elsewhere in the map (follow cross-link).
Immediately related elementsHow this works
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The Arrow of Time  »The Arrow of Time 
The physics of time »The physics of time
The thermodynamic arrow »The thermodynamic arrow
Why do we see an entropy gradient? »Why do we see an entropy gradient?
Asymmetric boundary condition »Asymmetric boundary condition
Past hypothesis »Past hypothesis
Why low entropy in the past? »Why low entropy in the past?
Anthropic selection »Anthropic selection
Low entropy generators »Low entropy generators
Source of low-entropy states »Source of low-entropy states
Boltzmann-Schuetz hypothesis
Boltzmann's Brain objection »Boltzmann's Brain objection
Updated Boltzmann-Schuetz »Updated Boltzmann-Schuetz
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