Consistent histories: Description of a world with increasing entropy
A distinction is made between two kinds of consistent histories: (1) robust histories consistent by virtue of decoherence, and (2) verifiable histories consistent through the existence of accessible records. It is events in verifiable histories which describe amplified quantum fluctuations. If the c...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Texas State University
2000-07-01
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| Series: | Electronic Journal of Differential Equations |
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| Online Access: | http://ejde.math.txstate.edu/conf-proc/04/w2/abstr.html |
| _version_ | 1811310682153418752 |
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| author | C. H. Woo |
| author_facet | C. H. Woo |
| author_sort | C. H. Woo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A distinction is made between two kinds of consistent histories: (1) robust histories consistent by virtue of decoherence, and (2) verifiable histories consistent through the existence of accessible records. It is events in verifiable histories which describe amplified quantum fluctuations. If the consistent-histories formalism is to improve on the Copenhagen interpretation by providing a self-contained quantum representation of the quasi-classical world, the appropriate quantum state must track closely all macroscopic phenomena, and the von Neumann entropy of that quantum state ought to change in the same direction as the statistical entropy of the macro-world. Since the von Neumann entropy tends to decrease under successive branchings, the evolution of an entropy-increasing quasi-classical world is not described by a process of branchings only: mergings of previously separate histories must also occur. As a consequence, the number of possible quasi-classical worlds does not have to grow indefinitely as in the many-world picture. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T10:03:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-aec62595d27a4df28ebcbe89d7a99839 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1072-6691 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T10:03:19Z |
| publishDate | 2000-07-01 |
| publisher | Texas State University |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Electronic Journal of Differential Equations |
| spelling | doaj.art-aec62595d27a4df28ebcbe89d7a998392022-12-22T02:51:11ZengTexas State UniversityElectronic Journal of Differential Equations1072-66912000-07-01Conference04215229Consistent histories: Description of a world with increasing entropyC. H. WooA distinction is made between two kinds of consistent histories: (1) robust histories consistent by virtue of decoherence, and (2) verifiable histories consistent through the existence of accessible records. It is events in verifiable histories which describe amplified quantum fluctuations. If the consistent-histories formalism is to improve on the Copenhagen interpretation by providing a self-contained quantum representation of the quasi-classical world, the appropriate quantum state must track closely all macroscopic phenomena, and the von Neumann entropy of that quantum state ought to change in the same direction as the statistical entropy of the macro-world. Since the von Neumann entropy tends to decrease under successive branchings, the evolution of an entropy-increasing quasi-classical world is not described by a process of branchings only: mergings of previously separate histories must also occur. As a consequence, the number of possible quasi-classical worlds does not have to grow indefinitely as in the many-world picture.http://ejde.math.txstate.edu/conf-proc/04/w2/abstr.htmlConsistent historiesentropysecond law. |
| spellingShingle | C. H. Woo Consistent histories: Description of a world with increasing entropy Electronic Journal of Differential Equations Consistent histories entropy second law. |
| title | Consistent histories: Description of a world with increasing entropy |
| title_full | Consistent histories: Description of a world with increasing entropy |
| title_fullStr | Consistent histories: Description of a world with increasing entropy |
| title_full_unstemmed | Consistent histories: Description of a world with increasing entropy |
| title_short | Consistent histories: Description of a world with increasing entropy |
| title_sort | consistent histories description of a world with increasing entropy |
| topic | Consistent histories entropy second law. |
| url | http://ejde.math.txstate.edu/conf-proc/04/w2/abstr.html |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT chwoo consistenthistoriesdescriptionofaworldwithincreasingentropy |