Physical Origins of Time Asymmetry
Physical Origins of Time Asymmetry
J. Pérez-Mercader
W. H. Zurek, Los Alamos National Laboratory
£89.99
GBPIn the world about us, the past is distinctly different from the future. More precisely, we say that the processes going on in the world about us are asymmetric in time or display an arrow of time. Yet this manifest fact of our experience is particularly difficult to explain in terms of the fundamental laws of physics. Newton's laws, quantum mechanics, electromagnetism, Einstein's theory of gravity, etc., make no distinction between past and future - they are time-symmetric. Reconciliation of these profoundly conflicting facts is the topic of this volume. It is an interdisciplinary survey of the variety of interconnected phenomena defining arrows of time, and their possible explanations in terms of underlying time-symmetric laws of physics.
- Contributions from world-renowned researchers in theoretical physics including Stephen Hawking
- Interdisciplinary survey
Reviews & endorsements
'…a veritable fireworks of ideas in computation, physics and cosmology…The distinction of the participants and the intrinsic interest of the topics discussed make this a book that should be available to all physicists as well as to students of cognate subjects.' Peter T. Landberg, Nature
'By far the best available account of current ideas on the issue, presented by those most qualified to do so. It is outstanding in its presentation and overall quality and most certainly stands out as one volume which should find its way onto the shelves of every researcher seriously interested in this field.' Classical and Quantum Gravity
'One feature which I enjoyed was the reproduction of the lively questions and discussion following the papers.' Professor P. Knight, Contemporary Physics
'…an in-depth introduction to a fascinating set of inter-related topics about the nature of time. It is written at a level that is sure to be stimulating to a sophisticated theorist while still accessible to a young graduate student.' Physics Today
Product details
March 1996Paperback
9780521568371
536 pages
235 × 191 × 27 mm
0.91kg
61 b/w illus.
Available
Table of Contents
- 1. Investigations of quantum decoherence A. Albrecht
- 2. The emergence of time and its arrow from timelessness J. Barbour
- 3. Complexity C. Bennet
- 4. Unorthodox thoughts about time I. Bialynicki-Birula
- 5. Temperature and time in the geometry of rotating black holes J. D. Brown and J. W. York
- 6. Information, chaos and statistical physics C. Caves
- 7. Time asymmetry and the flow of information T. Cover
- 8. Decoherence without complexity and without an arrow of time B. Dewitt
- 9. The decoherence functional in quantum mechanics F. Dowker
- 10. Quantum cosmology and the arrow of time M. Gell-Mann
- 11. Wormholes and time asymmetry P. Gonzalez-Diaz
- 12. Statistical irreversibility: classical and quantum R. Griffiths
- 13. Time asymmetry and quantum cosmology J. Halliwell
- 14. The arrow of time in quantum mechanics J. Hartle
- 15. My greatest mistake S. Hawking
- 16. Fluctuation-dissipation in quantum fields and gravitational entropy B. Hu
- 17. Time and interpretation of quantum gravity K. Kuchar
- 18. The arrow of time in the Hartle-Hawking wave function R. Lafflamme
- 19. Quantum mechanics, statistical mechanics and the origins of time asymmetry J. Lebowitz
- 20. Information flow S. Lloyd
- 21. Times at early times J. Louko
- 22. Time, information and quantum correlations W. Miller
- 23. Fluctuation-dissipation theorem in general relativity and the cosmological constant E. Mottola
- 24. Time asymmetry and the interpretation of quantum mechanics V. Mukhanov
- 25. Logical time asymmetry in quantum mechanics R. Omnes
- 26. Stirring up trouble P. C. W. Davies
- 27. Time, quantum cosmology and Mach's principle T. Padmanabhan
- 28. Entropy versus clock time D. Page
- 29. Decoherence and back-reaction J. Paz
- 30. Essay on time J. Perez-Mercadier
- 31. Time-symmetric cosmology and definite quantum measurements L. Schulman
- 32. Demonic heat engines and the second law B. Schumacher
- 33. Decoherence and the arrow of time in the inflationary scenario A. Starobinsky
- 34. Essay on time C. Teitelboim
- 35. Time in quantum gravity W. Unruh
- 36. Instability, escape and chaos in a driven asymmetric non-linear oscillator M. Velarde
- 37. How come time? J. Wheeler
- 38. Is time asymmetry logically prior to quantum mechanics W. Wootters
- 39. Time (A-)symmetry in recollapsing quantum universe H. Zeh
- 40. Toward a quantum theory of classical reality W. Zurek.
