Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Unification of the State with the Dynamical Law

  • Published:
Foundations of Physics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We address the question of why particular laws were selected for the universe, by proposing a mechanism for laws to evolve. Normally in physical theories, timeless laws act on time-evolving states. We propose that this is an approximation, good on time scales shorter than cosmological scales, beyond which laws and states are merged into a single entity that evolves in time. Furthermore the approximate distinction between laws and states, when it does emerge, is dependent on the initial conditions. These ideas are illustrated in a simple matrix model.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. As for example in the Plebanski action.

References

  1. Peirce, C.S.: The architecture of theories. In: Buchler, J. (ed.) The Monist, 1891, reprinted in Philosophical Writings of Peirce. Dover, New York (1955)

  2. Smolin, L.: Did the universe evolve? Classical and Quantum Gravity 9, 173–191 (1992)

    Article  ADS  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  3. Smolin, L.: The status of cosmological natural selection. In: Vaas, R. (ed.) Beyond the Big Bang. Springer Verlag (to appear). hep-th/0612185

  4. Smolin, L.: Scientific alternatives to the anthropic principle. In: Carr, B., et al. (eds.) Contribution to “Universe or Multiverse”. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. arXiv:hep-th/0407213

  5. Smolin, L.: Cosmological natural selection as the explanation for the complexity of the universe, Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications Special Issue: Complexity and Criticality. In: Alstrom, P., Bohr, T., Christensen, K., Flyvbjerg, H., Jensen, M.H., Lautrup, B., Sneppen, K. (eds.) In Memory of Per Bak. (1947–2002)

  6. Smolin, L.: Using neutrons stars and primordial black holes to test theories of quantum gravity. astro-ph/9712189

  7. Smolin, L.: On the fate of black hole singularities and the parameters of the standard model. gr-qc/9404011

  8. Smolin, L.: Life of the Cosmos. Oxford University Press, New York (1997)

  9. Unger, R.M., Smolin, L.: The Singular Universe and the Reality of Time. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (2014)

  10. Smolin, L.: Time Reborn: from the crisis in physics to the future of the universe. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, New York (2013)

  11. Smolin, L.: Temporal naturalism. In: Grosholz, E. (ed.) Invited Contribution for a Special Issue of Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics, on Time and Cosmology. arXiv:1310.8539

  12. Smolin, L.: Time, laws and the future of cosmology. Phys. Today 67(3), 38 (2014)

  13. Smolin, L.: The unique universe: against the timeless multiverse. Phys. World 21–26 ( 2009)

  14. Smolin, L.: Matrix universality of gauge and gravitational dynamics (2008). arXiv:0803.2926

Download references

Acknowledgments

This worked evolved from joint work with Roberto Mangabeira Unger [9–13] on the implications of the hypothesis that the laws of physics evolve, and I am very grateful to him for many suggestions and discussions as well as for critical comments on this manuscript. I am grateful also to Andrew Albrecht, Andrzej Banbursk, Sabine Hossenfelder and Matthew Johnson for perceptive comments on the manuscript. I am also grateful to FQXi and the Templeton Foundation for generous support of my research. Research at Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics is supported in part by the Government of Canada through NSERC and by the Province of Ontario through MRI.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, 31 Caroline Street North, Waterloo, ON, N2J 2Y5, Canada

    Lee Smolin

Authors
  1. Lee Smolin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lee Smolin.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Smolin, L. Unification of the State with the Dynamical Law. Found Phys 45, 1–10 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10701-014-9855-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10701-014-9855-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation