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The Arrow of Time in Quantum Gravity

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 April 2022

Chuang Liu
Chuang Liu*
Affiliation:
Department of Philosophy, University of Florida
*
‡Send reprint requests to the author, Department of Philosophy, University of Florida, 310 Griffin-Floyd Hall, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.
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Abstract

This essay is a philosophical evaluation of some of the findings of Wald and Penrose in which they claim to have supported an arrow (or the irreversibility) of time in quantum gravity. First, the notion of lawlike irreversibility (or anisotropy) of time is spelled out, then the general situation in quantum mechanics is briefly discussed. Finally, the findings in quantum gravity are evaluated against such a background. My conclusion is that the arrow of time found in quantum gravity is at best de facto (nonlawlike).

Type
Research Article
Information
Philosophy of Science , Volume 60 , Issue 4 , December 1993 , pp. 619 - 637
Copyright
Copyright © Philosophy of Science Association 1993

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Footnotes

†

I wish to thank John Earman for introducing me to this subject and helping me with the writing of this paper.

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