A general theorem on indeterminism in classical particle dynamics: inflationary scenarios

Abstract

In the study of systems with an infinite number of particles, the results of indeterminism through deterministic collisions have until now usually made use of the temporal symmetry of mechanics. In this paper we take a more general path. This path furnishes proof that (in such systems) indeterminism based on deterministic collisions is rather more common than is suggested in studies published to date. A detailed analysis is made of what are known as inflationary scenarios, an interesting type of very general situations that display indeterminism.