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Entropic Time, Psychophysics, and Deformed Neural Dynamics: A Unified Physical Theory for Human Time Perception

J. Weberszpil, O. Sotolongo-Costa

June 28, 2026

Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Theoretical or philosophical paper
Key points Proposes that subjective time perception emerges from a local metric tied to entropy production, with the Nonextensive Troika providing a closed formalism that predicts time dilation in psychedelic states and temporal compression in cognitive aging.

Abstract

We present a unified physical theory demonstrating that human subjective time perception does not track geometric coordinate time $t$, but instead emerges from a local metric mutation driven by macroscopic physical entropy production. By establishing the Nonextensive Troika -- a closed, mutually dependent algebraic triplet linking the phase-space fractal dimension $D$, the conformable derivative order $\alpha$, and the Tsallis nonextensive parameter $q$ -- we eliminate independent phenomenological fitting constants. We prove that the local time metric inherently scales as $t^{\alpha}$, deriving the conformable operator as a necessary kinetic consequence. Furthermore, we derive the $q$-index from the equiprobable monofractal Tsallis entropy $S_q$. This structural closure unifies anomalous neural dissipative transport within a deformed leaky integrate-and-fire framework and analytically predicts macroscopic psychophysical response transitions, providing a clear thermodynamic basis for time dilation in psychedelic states (the REBUS model) and temporal compression during cognitive aging.