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Did nonlinear irreversible thermodynamics revolutionize the classical time conception of physics?

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Abstract

From both physical and epistemological viewpoints, the following theses, which nowadays are often discussed in the literature, are examined: Nonlinear thermodynamics renders it possible to grasp evolutionary physical processes; for thermodynamics it introduces, instead of idealized reversible time, a directed time into physics; thus a science is established that is nearer to reality than classical physics. To analyze these theses, the relation of thermodynamics to dynamical physics is considered. In particular, it is demonstrated that, in classical as well as in modern thermodynamics, irreversibility is introduced via conditions which must be formulated in addition to the dynamical laws. To show the reason for this, the epistemological status of the physical time conception is analyzed, and its character as a physical measurement quantity is established.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Einstein-Laboratorium für Theoretische Physik der AdW der DDR, Rosa-Luxemburg-Str. 17a, 1502, Potsdam-Babelsberg, DDR

    Horst-Heino von Borzeszkowski & Renate Wahsner

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  1. Horst-Heino von Borzeszkowski
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  2. Renate Wahsner
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von Borzeszkowski, HH., Wahsner, R. Did nonlinear irreversible thermodynamics revolutionize the classical time conception of physics?. Found Phys 14, 653–670 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00738746

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