Does a computer have an arrow of time?

DOI10.1007/S10701-009-9386-6zbMATH Open1184.81007arXiv0709.3131OpenAlexW2132206518MaRDI QIDQ2268407FDOQ2268407

Authors: Owen J. E. Maroney 

Publication date: 8 March 2010

Published in: Foundations of Physics (Search for Journal in Brave)

Abstract: In [Sch05a], it is argued that Boltzmann's intuition, that the psychological arrow of time is necessarily aligned with the thermodynamic arrow, is correct. Schulman gives an explicit physical mechanism for this connection, based on the brain being representable as a computer, together with certain thermodynamic properties of computational processes. [Haw94] presents similar, if briefer, arguments. The purpose of this paper is to critically examine the support for the link between thermodynamics and an arrow of time for computers. The principal arguments put forward by Schulman and Hawking will be shown to fail. It will be shown that any computational process that can take place in an entropy increasing universe, can equally take place in an entropy decreasing universe. This conclusion does not automatically imply a psychological arrow can run counter to the thermodynamic arrow. Some alternative possible explana- tions for the alignment of the two arrows will be briefly discussed.

Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/0709.3131

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zbMATH Keywords

causalityarrow of timeLandauer's principlecomputers

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

General and philosophical questions in quantum theory (81P05) Quantum information, communication, networks (quantum-theoretic aspects) (81P45)

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