Re: Entropy, Objectivity, and Timescales

[jmclean@chem.ucsd.edu (James Mclean)]

Leigh Palmer says:
> What one can say is that the
> interactions of the parts of the system are of such a nature that the
> microstate changes during the time period in question in such a manner
> that in principle it *could have* reached any of the states which are
> considered to be in the set of accessible states.

Leigh, perhaps it would clear the waters somewhat if you could describe how
to measure/calculate/estimate this time period for some simple system.  In
principle, of course; we don't need to actually do it.

In order to contribute more substance, maybe I should make a stab at it.
Take the initial quantum state, and propagate it with the Schrodinger
eq. until there is a non-zero probability of finding the system in each
state considered to be accessible.  Does that work for everyone?

-- 
--James McLean
jmclean@chem.ucsd.edu
post doc
UC San Diego, Chemistry