On Quantum Nonunitarity as a Basis for the Second Law of Thermodynamics

Abstract

It was first suggested by David Z. Albert that the existence of a real, physical non-unitary process (i.e., "collapse") at the quantum level would yield a complete explanation for the Second Law of Thermodynamics (i.e., the increase in entropy over time). The contribution of such a process would be to provide a physical basis for the ontological indeterminacy needed to derive the irreversible Second Law against a backdrop of otherwise reversible, deterministic physical laws. An alternative understanding of the source of this possible quantum "collapse" or non-unitarity is presented herein, in terms of the Transactional Interpretation (TI). The present model provides a specific physical justification for Boltzmann's often-criticized assumption of molecular randomness (Stosszahlansatz), thereby changing its status from an ad hoc postulate to a theoretically grounded result, without requiring any change to the basic quantum theory. In addition, it is argued that TI provides an elegant way of reconciling, via indeterministic collapse, the time-reversible Liouville evolution with the time-irreversible evolution inherent in so-called "master equations" that specify the changes in occupation of the various possible states in terms of the transition rates between them. The present model is contrasted with the Ghirardi-Rimini-Weber (GRW) "spontaneous collapse" theory previously suggested for this purpose by Albert.

Clarification to footnote 5

References in corpus (3)

• The Possibilist Transactional Interpretation and Relativity
• On Real and Virtual Photons in the Davies Theory of Time-Symmetric Quantum Electrodynamics
• Antimatter in the Direct-Action Theory of Fields

Cited by in corpus (7)

• Unitary-Only Quantum Theory Cannot Consistently Describe the Use of Itself: On the Frauchiger-Renner Paradox
• Entropy Cost of "Erasure" in Physically Irreversible Processes
• Einstein's equations and the pseudo-entropy of pseudo-Riemannian information manifolds
• Decoherence and the Transactional Interpretation
• Maxwell's Demon Is Foiled by the Entropy Cost of Measurement, Not Erasure
• A Model of Entropy Production
• The Relativistic Transactional Interpretation and Spacetime Emergence