> The distinction lies in accounting for the cost of information processing. While the thermal-to-mechanical conversion can exceed classical limits, the complete energy budget—including information acquisition and processing—respects fundamental thermodynamic constraints when fully considered.
It’s honest accounting of the ‘engine’ itself with the caveat that the demon spends energy to make it happen. I think the usual resolution of the paradoxes around that kind of thing is that the demon has to erase its memory of the last cycle to prepare for the next cycle and that costs kT/2 per bit.
It's creative accounting, not new physics:
> The distinction lies in accounting for the cost of information processing. While the thermal-to-mechanical conversion can exceed classical limits, the complete energy budget—including information acquisition and processing—respects fundamental thermodynamic constraints when fully considered.
It’s honest accounting of the ‘engine’ itself with the caveat that the demon spends energy to make it happen. I think the usual resolution of the paradoxes around that kind of thing is that the demon has to erase its memory of the last cycle to prepare for the next cycle and that costs kT/2 per bit.