Some Consequences of the Thermodynamic Cost of System Identification

The concept of a “system” is foundational to physics, but the question of how observers identify systems is seldom addressed. Classical thermodynamics restricts observers to finite, finite-resolution observations with which to identify the systems on which “pointer stat...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Chris Fields
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2018-10-01
Series:Entropy
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/20/10/797
Description
Summary:The concept of a “system” is foundational to physics, but the question of how observers identify systems is seldom addressed. Classical thermodynamics restricts observers to finite, finite-resolution observations with which to identify the systems on which “pointer state” measurements are to be made. It is shown that system identification is at best approximate, even in a finite world, and that violations of the Leggett–Garg and Bell/CHSH (Clauser-Horne-Shimony-Holt) inequalities emerge naturally as requirements for successful system identification.
ISSN:1099-4300