Orly Shenker
Datos Biográficos
| ID | 1243371 |
|---|---|
| NOMBRE | Orly Shenker |
| NOMBRES | Orly |
| APELLIDO | Shenker |
| FIRMA | SHENKER O |
| AFILIACIONES | Hebrew University of Jerusalem |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-5716-6894 |
| VERIFICADO | Sí |
| TOTAL DE OBRAS | 19 |
| TOTAL DE CITAS | 25 |
| TOTAL COMO AUTOR | 19 |
| TOTAL COMO EDITOR | 0 |
| PRIMER AÑO DE PUBLICACIÓN | 1999 |
| AÑO MÁS RECIENTE DE PUBLICACIÓN | 2025 |
| ÍNDICE H | 3 |
Modelling Thought Versus Modelling the Brain
What is the connection between modelling thought and modelling the brain? In a model (as understood here), we strip away from the modelled system some non-essential features and retain some essential ones. What are the essential features of thought that are to be retained in the model, and conversely, what are its inessential features, that may be stripped away in the model? According to a prevalent view in contemporary science and philosophy, th…
Is the mind in the brain in contemporary computational neuroscience
Flat Physicalism
This paper describes a version of type identity physicalism, which we call Flat Physicalism , and shows how it meets several objections often raised against identity theories. This identity theory is informed by recent results in the conceptual foundations of physics, and in particular clarifies the notion of ‘physical kinds' in light of a conceptual analysis of the paradigmatic case of reducing thermodynamics to statistical mechanics. We show ho…
The preferred basis problem in the many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics
The Second Law of Thermodynamics and the Psychological Arrow of Time
Can the second law of thermodynamics explain our mental experience of the direction of time? According to an influential approach, the past hypothesis of universal low entropy (required to explain the temporal directionality of the second law in terms of fundamental physics, which is time-symmetric) also explains how the psychological arrow comes about. We argue that although this approach has many attractive features, it cannot explain the psych…
A challenge to the second law of thermodynamics from cognitive science and vice versa
The physics of implementing logic
Foundation of statistical mechanics
Statistical mechanics is the name of the ongoing attempt to explain and predict certain phenomena, above all those described by thermodynamics on the basis of the fundamental theories of physics, in particular mechanics (classical or quantum), together with certain auxiliary assumptions. In another paper in this journal, Foundations of statistical mechanics: Mechanics by itself, I have shown that some of the thermodynamic regularities, including …
Foundation of statistical mechanics
Statistical mechanics is a strange theory. Its aims are debated, its methods are contested, its main claims have never been fully proven, and their very truth is challenged, yet at the same time, it enjoys huge empirical success and gives us the feeling that we understand important phenomena. What is this weird theory, exactly? Statistical mechanics is the name of the ongoing attempt to apply mechanics (classical, as discussed in this paper, or q…
The emergence of macroscopic regularity
Probability Zero in Bohm’s Theory
We describe two anomalies in Bohm’s quantum theory that shed light on the notion of probability zero in quantum mechanics. In one anomaly the preferred reference frame may be discovered
Szilard's Perpetuum Mobile
In a previous article, we have demonstrated by a general phase space argument that a Maxwellian Demon is compatible with statistical mechanics. In this article, we show how this idea can be put to work in the prevalent model of the Demon, namely, a particle-in-a-box, used, for example, by Szilard and Bennett. In the literature, this model is used in order to show that a Demon is incompatible with statistical mechanics, either classical or quantum…
Introduction to the Philosophy of Statistical Mechanics
The arrow of time is a familiar phenomenon we all know from our experience: we remember the past but not the future and control the future but not the past. However, it takes an effort to keep records of the past, and to affect the future. For example, it would take an immense effort to unmix coffee and milk, although we easily mix them. Such time directed phenomena are subsumed under the Second Law of Thermodynamics. This law characterizes our e…
Von Neumann's Entropy Does Not Correspond to Thermodynamic Entropy
Von Neumann argued by means of a thought experiment involving measurements of spin observables that the quantum mechanical quantity $S_{VN}=-k\mathrm{Tr}\,(\rho \mathrm{log}\,\rho) $ is conceptually equivalent to thermodynamic entropy. We analyze Von Neumann's thought experiment and show that his argument fails
Quantum decoherence and the approach to equilibrium (II)
Maxwell's Demon 2
Quantum Decoherence and the Approach to Equilibrium
We discuss a recent proposal by Albert (1994a; 1994b; 2000, ch. 7) to recover thermodynamics on a purely dynamical basis, using the quantum theory of the collapse of the wave function by Ghirardi, Rimini, and Weber (1986). We propose an alternative way to explain thermodynamics within no-collapse interpretations of quantum mechanics. Our approach relies on the standard quantum mechanical models of environmental decoherence of open systems (e.g., …
Can We Explain Thermodynamics By Quantum Decoherence
Maxwell’s Demon and Baron Munchausen
The emergence of macroscopic regularity
Foundation of statistical mechanics
Statistical mechanics is a strange theory. Its aims are debated, its methods are contested, its main claims have never been fully proven, and their very truth is challenged, yet at the same time, it enjoys huge empirical success and gives us the feeling that we understand important phenomena. What is this weird theory, exactly? Statistical mechanics is the name of the ongoing attempt to apply mechanics (classical, as discussed in this paper, or q…
Foundation of statistical mechanics
Statistical mechanics is the name of the ongoing attempt to explain and predict certain phenomena, above all those described by thermodynamics on the basis of the fundamental theories of physics, in particular mechanics (classical or quantum), together with certain auxiliary assumptions. In another paper in this journal, Foundations of statistical mechanics: Mechanics by itself, I have shown that some of the thermodynamic regularities, including …
Szilard's Perpetuum Mobile
In a previous article, we have demonstrated by a general phase space argument that a Maxwellian Demon is compatible with statistical mechanics. In this article, we show how this idea can be put to work in the prevalent model of the Demon, namely, a particle-in-a-box, used, for example, by Szilard and Bennett. In the literature, this model is used in order to show that a Demon is incompatible with statistical mechanics, either classical or quantum…
Von Neumann's Entropy Does Not Correspond to Thermodynamic Entropy
Von Neumann argued by means of a thought experiment involving measurements of spin observables that the quantum mechanical quantity $S_{VN}=-k\mathrm{Tr}\,(\rho \mathrm{log}\,\rho) $ is conceptually equivalent to thermodynamic entropy. We analyze Von Neumann's thought experiment and show that his argument fails
A challenge to the second law of thermodynamics from cognitive science and vice versa
Quantum Decoherence and the Approach to Equilibrium
We discuss a recent proposal by Albert (1994a; 1994b; 2000, ch. 7) to recover thermodynamics on a purely dynamical basis, using the quantum theory of the collapse of the wave function by Ghirardi, Rimini, and Weber (1986). We propose an alternative way to explain thermodynamics within no-collapse interpretations of quantum mechanics. Our approach relies on the standard quantum mechanical models of environmental decoherence of open systems (e.g., …
The preferred basis problem in the many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics
The Second Law of Thermodynamics and the Psychological Arrow of Time
Can the second law of thermodynamics explain our mental experience of the direction of time? According to an influential approach, the past hypothesis of universal low entropy (required to explain the temporal directionality of the second law in terms of fundamental physics, which is time-symmetric) also explains how the psychological arrow comes about. We argue that although this approach has many attractive features, it cannot explain the psych…
Maxwell’s Demon and Baron Munchausen
Can We Explain Thermodynamics By Quantum Decoherence
Quantum Decoherence and the Approach to Equilibrium
We discuss a recent proposal by Albert (1994a; 1994b; 2000, ch. 7) to recover thermodynamics on a purely dynamical basis, using the quantum theory of the collapse of the wave function by Ghirardi, Rimini, and Weber (1986). We propose an alternative way to explain thermodynamics within no-collapse interpretations of quantum mechanics. Our approach relies on the standard quantum mechanical models of environmental decoherence of open systems (e.g., …
Maxwell's Demon 2
Quantum decoherence and the approach to equilibrium (II)
Von Neumann's Entropy Does Not Correspond to Thermodynamic Entropy
Von Neumann argued by means of a thought experiment involving measurements of spin observables that the quantum mechanical quantity $S_{VN}=-k\mathrm{Tr}\,(\rho \mathrm{log}\,\rho) $ is conceptually equivalent to thermodynamic entropy. We analyze Von Neumann's thought experiment and show that his argument fails
Szilard's Perpetuum Mobile
In a previous article, we have demonstrated by a general phase space argument that a Maxwellian Demon is compatible with statistical mechanics. In this article, we show how this idea can be put to work in the prevalent model of the Demon, namely, a particle-in-a-box, used, for example, by Szilard and Bennett. In the literature, this model is used in order to show that a Demon is incompatible with statistical mechanics, either classical or quantum…
Introduction to the Philosophy of Statistical Mechanics
The arrow of time is a familiar phenomenon we all know from our experience: we remember the past but not the future and control the future but not the past. However, it takes an effort to keep records of the past, and to affect the future. For example, it would take an immense effort to unmix coffee and milk, although we easily mix them. Such time directed phenomena are subsumed under the Second Law of Thermodynamics. This law characterizes our e…
Probability Zero in Bohm’s Theory
We describe two anomalies in Bohm’s quantum theory that shed light on the notion of probability zero in quantum mechanics. In one anomaly the preferred reference frame may be discovered
The emergence of macroscopic regularity
Foundation of statistical mechanics
Statistical mechanics is the name of the ongoing attempt to explain and predict certain phenomena, above all those described by thermodynamics on the basis of the fundamental theories of physics, in particular mechanics (classical or quantum), together with certain auxiliary assumptions. In another paper in this journal, Foundations of statistical mechanics: Mechanics by itself, I have shown that some of the thermodynamic regularities, including …
Foundation of statistical mechanics
Statistical mechanics is a strange theory. Its aims are debated, its methods are contested, its main claims have never been fully proven, and their very truth is challenged, yet at the same time, it enjoys huge empirical success and gives us the feeling that we understand important phenomena. What is this weird theory, exactly? Statistical mechanics is the name of the ongoing attempt to apply mechanics (classical, as discussed in this paper, or q…
The physics of implementing logic
A challenge to the second law of thermodynamics from cognitive science and vice versa
Flat Physicalism
This paper describes a version of type identity physicalism, which we call Flat Physicalism , and shows how it meets several objections often raised against identity theories. This identity theory is informed by recent results in the conceptual foundations of physics, and in particular clarifies the notion of ‘physical kinds' in light of a conceptual analysis of the paradigmatic case of reducing thermodynamics to statistical mechanics. We show ho…
The preferred basis problem in the many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics
The Second Law of Thermodynamics and the Psychological Arrow of Time
Can the second law of thermodynamics explain our mental experience of the direction of time? According to an influential approach, the past hypothesis of universal low entropy (required to explain the temporal directionality of the second law in terms of fundamental physics, which is time-symmetric) also explains how the psychological arrow comes about. We argue that although this approach has many attractive features, it cannot explain the psych…
Is the mind in the brain in contemporary computational neuroscience
Modelling Thought Versus Modelling the Brain
What is the connection between modelling thought and modelling the brain? In a model (as understood here), we strip away from the modelled system some non-essential features and retain some essential ones. What are the essential features of thought that are to be retained in the model, and conversely, what are its inessential features, that may be stripped away in the model? According to a prevalent view in contemporary science and philosophy, th…
Physics (18 obras) · Quantum Mechanics and Applications (17 obras) · Quantum mechanics (16 obras) · Theoretical physics (15 obras) · Advanced Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics (14 obras) · Philosophy (14 obras) · Statistical physics (13 obras) · Epistemology (10 obras) · Mathematics (10 obras) · Quantum (10 obras)