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Time Symmetry in Microphysics

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 April 2022

Huw Price
Huw Price*
Affiliation:
University of Sydney
*
†School of Philosophy, University of Sydney, Australia 2006.
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Abstract

Physics takes for granted that interacting systems without common history are independent, before interaction. This principle is time asymmetric, for no such restriction applies to systems without common future, after interaction. The time asymmetry is normally attributed to boundary conditions. I argue that there are two such independence principles at work in contemporary physics, one of which cannot be attributed to boundary conditions, and therefore conflicts with the assumed T-symmetry of microphysics. I note that this may have interesting ramifications in quantum mechanics.

Type
Symposium: New Work on Time's Arrow
Information
Philosophy of Science , Volume 64 , Issue S4: Supplement. Proceedings of the 1996 Biennial Meetings of the Philosophy of Science Association. Part II: Symposia Papers Dec., 1997 , 1997 , pp. S235 - S244
Copyright
Copyright © Philosophy of Science Association 1997

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Footnotes

‡

This owes much to audiences at the Australian National University, the University of Western Ontario, Columbia University, and the University of Melbourne.

References

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