Speaker
Renato Renner
(ETH Zurich)
Description
Information theory is an invaluable tool for studying questions around the foundations of physics. In thermodynamics, for example, it provides the key to resolving apparent contradictions, such as the famous Maxwell's demon paradox. Conversely, information theory lends itself to the conception of novel paradoxes, such as the black hole information paradox, which helps us sharpening our physical intuition. One may therefore ask whether an information-theoretic perspective can also yield insights on the nature of time. In this talk, I will explain some of the conceptual problems that arise when one tries to capture time with information-theoretic methods, and discuss possible routes to move forward.
