This review takes an open-minded stance towards JohnJohn Onimisi Obidi’s Onimisi Obidi’s“Derivation of Speed of Light (c) from the Theory of Entropicity (ToE),” assessing its intellectual ambition and methodological clarity rather than its publication status. It highlights the bold goal of explaining why c has its specific value and why it’s invariant, by unifying inputs from general relativity (G), quantum mechanics (ℏ), and thermodynamics/information theory (Boltzmann constant kB and entropy S).
A key strength is the paper’s familiar, step-by-step theoretical structure: it posits a master entropic action, derives nonlinear field equations via least action, linearizes around a background to study small disturbances, identifies the characteristic propagation speed of “entropic waves,” and constructs an “Entropic Lorentz Group(ELG)” to argue for observer-independent c. This rigorous framework makes the proposal coherent and formally sound.
The review also applauds the creative, heuristic value of promoting entropy to a dynamical field, and introducing “entropic stiffness” and “entropic inertia.” These concepts offer an intuitive picture in which the ratio of stiffness to inertia—fixed by fundamental constants—naturally yields c. The suggestion that c emerges from a balance of gravitational, quantum, and thermal forces is framed as an elegant, potentially deep origin for the constant.
Importantly, the paper outlines avenues for constructive development: incorporatingincorporating irreversibility and Fisher information irreversibility and Fisher information to o deepen the model, and exploring testable predictions, such as deviations in c under extreme entropy gradients (e.g., near black holes). Such possibilities move the theory toward falsifiability.
In conclusion, while speculative, the work serves as a provocative conceptual catalyst, encouraging physicists to reconsider entropy’s possible dynamical role and potentially guiding future breakthroughs.
It is a foundational principle of scientific progress that new ideas, especially those that challenge established paradigms, should be evaluated on their own merits. History is replete with examples of theories that were initially dismissed but later proven to be revolutionary. In that spirit, this open review sets aside the paper's publication status and focuses on its potential merits, intellectual ambition, and the creativity of its conceptual framework.
This review assesses the work of John Onimisi Obidi on the "Derivation of Speed of Light (c) from the Theory of Entropicity (ToE)[1][2][3]" by focusing on the positive aspects of its intellectual project, its methodological structure, and the heuristic value of its ideas.
The most striking positive feature of this paper is its sheer ambition. The author is not attempting to solve a minor, incremental problem. Instead, the work tackles one of the most fundamental questions in physics: Why is the speed of light c what it is, and why is it constant for all observers?
The theory attempts to provide an answer by weaving together concepts from three pillars of modern physics:
The goal of unifying these domains and deriving a fundamental constant from their interplay is one of the highest aspirations in theoretical physics. This effort, regardless of its ultimate success, demonstrates a laudable commitment to deep, fundamental inquiry.
The paper follows a logical and recognizable structure that is standard in theoretical physics. This methodical approach is a significant strength, as it allows the reader to follow the author's line of reasoning step-by-step. The key stages include:
This rigorous, step-by-step structure shows a clear command of the mathematical methods of theoretical physics, which makes the proposal, at the very least, coherent and formally articulated.
Even if the theory is speculative, its core concepts have heuristic value—that is, they can be useful for discovery and learning, and they provoke new ways of thinking.
The paper itself points toward future work, which is a sign of a healthy, developing research program. It explicitly mentions the need to:
While the "Theory of Entropicity(ToE)" exists far outside of mainstream physics, an open-minded review finds several positive attributes in the work. The paper is driven by profound intellectual ambition, is presented in a methodologically sound format, and introduces creative, thought-provoking concepts. It makes a bold attempt to connect disparate fields of physics to explain a fundamental constant of nature.
The value of such a work may not lie in its immediate acceptance, but in its potential to act as a conceptual catalyst. It encourages physicists to re-examine the foundations of their own theories and to ask whether a concept as fundamental as entropy might play a more active, dynamical role in the cosmos than is currently assumed. In the long run, science benefits from such bold, speculative explorations, as they push the boundaries of imagination and can sometimes illuminate the path toward the next true revolution.