Quantum Solution to the Arrow-of-Time Dilemma

DOI10.1103/PHYSREVLETT.103.080401zbMATH Open1254.82020WikidataQ50727343 ScholiaQ50727343MaRDI QIDQ4898085FDOQ4898085

Authors Lorenzo Maccone

Publication date 29 December 2012

Published in Physical Review Letters (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://arxiv.org/abs/0802.0438

zbMATH Keywords

arrow-of-time dilemma

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

General and philosophical questions in quantum theory (81P05) Foundations of time-dependent statistical mechanics (82C03)

Abstract: The arrow of time dilemma: the laws of physics are invariant for time inversion, whereas the familiar phenomena we see everyday are not (i.e. entropy increases). I show that, within a quantum mechanical framework, all phenomena which leave a trail of information behind (and hence can be studied by physics) are those where entropy necessarily increases or remains constant. All phenomena where the entropy decreases must not leave any information of their having happened. This situation is completely indistinguishable from their not having happened at all. In the light of this observation, the second law of thermodynamics is reduced to a mere tautology: physics cannot study those processes where entropy has decreased, even if they were commonplace.

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Cites work

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Cited in

(11)

• Topological phase transitions on the square-octagon lattice driven by the Rashba spin-orbit coupling and staggered potential
• Wasn't Boltzmann right?
• Arrow of time and quantum physics
• Time reversal symmetry of generalized quantum measurements with past and future boundary conditions
• Microscopic reversibility and macroscopic irreversibility: a lattice gas model
• Derivation of nonlinear Schrödinger equation
• Arrow of time in rigged Hilbert space quantum mechanics
• Opposite arrows of time can reconcile relativity and nonlocality
• On decoherence in quantum gravity
• Coordination problems on networks revisited: statics and dynamics
• On the arrow of time

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