Thermal time hypothesis

Generally co-variant theories do not have a notion of a distinguished physical time with respect to which everything evolves. However, it is not needed for the full formulation and interpretation of the theory. The dynamical laws are determined by correlations which are sufficient to make predictions. But then a mechanism is needed which explains how the familiar notion of time eventually emerges from the timeless structure to become such an important ingredient of the macroscopic world we live in as well as of our conscious experience.

A possible solution to this problem has been put forward by Carlo Rovelli and Alain Connes, both in the classical and quantum theory, and goes by the name of the thermal time hypothesis. It postulates that physical time flow is not a priority given fundamental property of the theory, but is a macroscopic feature of thermodynamical origin.[1]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Von Neumann Algebra Automorphisms and Time-Thermodynamics Relation in General Covariant Quantum Theories, A. Connes, C. Rovelli, Class.Quant.Grav. 11:2899–2918, 1994.
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