Time’s arrow and irreversibility in time-asymmetric quantum mechanics

MARIO CASTAGNINO; MANUEL GADELLA; OLIMPIA LOMBARDI

INTERNATIONAL STUDIES IN THE PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE

ROUTLEDGE

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2005 vol. 19 p. 223 - 243

0269-8595

The aim of this paper is to analyze time-asymmetric quantum mechanics with respect to the problems of irreversibility and of time’s arrow. We begin with arguing that both problems are conceptually different. Then, we show that, contrary to a common opinion, the theory’s ability to describe irreversible quantum processes is not a consequence of the semigroup evolution laws expressing the non-time-reversal invariance of the theory. Finally, we argue that time-asymmetric quantum mechanics, either in Prigogine’s version or in Bohm’s version, does not solve the problem of the arrow of time because it does not supply a substantial and theoretically founded criterion for distinguishing between the two directions of time.