"The Neglect of Fluctuations in the Thermodynamics of Computation" (Next Week at the Energy and Information Seminar)

Lo these many years ago, I blogged about how a paper of John Norton's had led me to have doubts about Landauer's Principle. Prof. Norton has continued to work on this topic, and I am very happy to share the news about his upcoming talk at CMU's "Energy and Information" seminar:

John D. Norton, "The Neglect of Fluctuations in the Thermodynamics of Computation"

Abstract: The thermodynamics of computation assumes that thermodynamically reversible processes can be realized arbitrarily closely at molecular scales. They cannot. Overcoming fluctuations so that a molecular scale process can be completed creates more thermodynamic entropy than the small quantities tracked by Landauer's Principle. This no go result is the latest instance of a rich history of problems posed by fluctuations for thermodynamics.

Time and place: Noon--1 pm on Wednesday, 19 March 2014, in room D-210, Hamerschlag Hall.

Related papers: "All Shook Up: Fluctuations, Maxwell's Demon and the Thermodynamics of Computation", Entropy 15 (2013): 4432--4483; "The End of the Thermodynamics of Computation: A No-Go Result", Philosophy of Science 80 (2013): 1182--1192

(For the record, I remain of at least two minds about Landauer's principle. The positive arguments for it seem either special cases or circular, but the conclusion makes so much sense...)

Physics