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Finally, I mentioned the trouble the universe seems to go to to preserve the 2'nd law. Is that why things are arranged so that the universe will expand forever?
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I suspect that the issue of time, its direction and its epistimological foundations exist on the boundaries of physics and metaphysics. Most of the contemplation of this issue seems to eminate from Departments of Philosophy rather than Departments of Physics per se. Perhaps this is part of a more general portent to the future as we enter a period where real measurement and verification is becoming extremely difficult and mathematical abstractions like string theory and quantum loop gravity will continue to suffer from a lack of experimental gravitas.
Further, saying "the trouble the universe seems to go to ..." opens up a philosophical minefield as well. We seem to be faced with the essential truth that any minor deviations from the key settings of the universe we find ourselves in would result in not only potential disagreements with the laws of thermodynamics but also unable to support the development of galaxies, stars, planets or life for that matter. So this begs the question "Did the universe go to the trouble ...?" contemplating the quintessential guiding influence or is this a simple anthropic quirk of fate in that this is the only universe in which we can find ourselves. Here again physics transitions to metaphysics.
I think Krauss has a pretty good stab at outlining the current state of play without transgressing the metaphysical barrier to far.
Frankly, until we have some view of what Dark Matter and Dark Energy is really all about then I believe these will continue to be murky waters.