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(An event time generating mechanism theorized by James Whitescarver.)

Well, it generates events, it manifests event [[Time]], classical [[Time]] and space are emergent perceptions of event time in [[InformationPhysics]].

It is based on a Szilard's Engine with two detectors implementing a physical "or" operation operating a door.

A particle in the engine is kept at a constant energy (temperature) by external particles impacting the engine (ambient temperature).

With the door open the position of the particle is not known.

When both pistons reach the top, the door is closed, trapping the particle on ether side A or B. When either reaches the bottom (e.g. due to gravity) the door opens.

(From http://www.informationphysics.com/InfoPhysics_files/v3_document.htm slides 21-25)

http://www.whitescarver.com/albums/InfoPhysics/ScarverClock.gif

====Negative Entropy?====

We have created macroscopic events using ambient
energy, created order from chaos But measurement reduces uncertainty

* S = k log(W) is the entropy of a system with W possible states
====For a measured system:====
* S = k log(W-N) where N is the number of states eliminated or
S = k log(W/2B) where B is the number of bits measured
====For our system:====
* W = 2 � (A,B), N <code> 1, B</code>1
* log(2-1) <code> log (2/21) </code> log(1) = 0,
* S = 0
==== The second law is preserved!====

Maxwell's daemon is logic.

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I am confused by the graphics. After reading the explanations at [[WhitescarverClockVirtualClassroom]],
I keep thinking "I could come up with a better explanation than that". So here goes:

Start with a [[SzilardEngine]].

Use the movement of the pistons expanding and contracting to drive a mechanism that opens and closes the door at the "right" time.
Just like the Szilard Engine,
the mechanism needs to:
close the door immediately as soon as both pistons have expanded "enough".
open the door immediately after either piston has contracted "enough".

Then let it run, isolated from the rest of the universe (except for conducted heat energy).

Of course, this hides all the paradoxical stuff under "SzilardEngine".

-- [[DavidCary]]

Taking it as an idealization we avoid the paradox. I think I have improved the explanation above thanks to your feedback -- [[JimScarver]]
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The following thesis details a number of the issues and concepts here.
http://www.bbk.ac.uk/tpru/OwenMaroney/thesis/thesis.html chapter 4 though we reach a starkly different conclusion here. We may want to revisit this at some point.

A better source is, "Is information physical? - Maxwell's Demon and Szilard`s Engine" http://www.pha.jhu.edu/~xerver/seminar2/node3.html He gets it almost correct but he fails to see that the erasure step is free from external chaos. Yousin Park's whole seminar is very good, http://www.pha.jhu.edu/~xerver/seminar2/seminar2.html

http://www.supersaturated.com/journal/tom/2001-04-11:18:53.html
http://eve.physics.ox.ac.uk/Personal/steane/qcintro.html mirrored http://www.qubit.org/oldsite/intros/compSteane/qcintro.html
http://bookmark.iop.org/bookpge.htm/book=390p

???
http://delta.cs.cinvestav.mx/~mcintosh/comun/lectures/lecture2002-9.html
???

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See also: [[WhitescarverClockVirtualClassroom]] [[MaxwellsDemon]]

WhitescarverClock - Revision history

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