In the last chapter of _Thermodynamics and an Introduction to
Thermostatistics_ 2nd ed 1987 printing [Herbert B.]Callen says the following:
There are, in my view, two essential bases underlying
thermostatistical theory. One is rooted in the
statistical properties of large complex systems. The
second rests in the set of symmetries of the fundamental
laws of physics. The statistical features veils the
incoherent complexity of the atomic dynamics, thereby
revealing the coherent effects of the underlying
physical symmetries. p 455
He then does a brief review of Noether's theorem. p 460ff
What is this symmetry stuff all about? Who (or what) is Noether?
Now look, Callen was an intergalactically famous thermodynamicist for many
years and the poor lad is no longer with us, but this chapter is really
hard to internalize. Can anyone help???.
Noether??? Is that no aether? My daughter has a cat which was initially
named Buddy, but now named Nobuddy because when the cat was taken to be
"fixed" it was discovered that the cat was a female. Who is Noether? Is
this a real person?