Entropic Dynamics

TL;DR

Entropic Dynamics derives dynamical laws through entropic inference without an action principle, illustrating its application to diffusion, Hamiltonian, and quantum dynamics.

Contribution

The paper reviews how entropic methods can generate various dynamical laws, including quantum mechanics, without relying on traditional action principles.

Findings

Diffusion process exemplifies the nature of time in entropic dynamics.

Non-dissipative constraints lead to Hamiltonian dynamics.

Information geometry connects to quantum Hamiltonians.

Abstract

Entropic Dynamics is a framework in which dynamical laws are derived as an application of entropic methods of inference. No underlying action principle is postulated. Instead, the dynamics is driven by entropy subject to the constraints appropriate to the problem at hand. In this paper we review three examples of entropic dynamics. First we tackle the simpler case of a standard diffusion process which allows us to address the central issue of the nature of time. Then we show that imposing the additional constraint that the dynamics be non-dissipative leads to Hamiltonian dynamics. Finally, considerations from information geometry naturally lead to the type of Hamiltonian that describes quantum theory.