Does temperature fluctuate? The fluctuation-dissipation theorem consideredas an equation describing quantum mechanical experiments, and application to the dynamic glass transition

In an earlier Letter to the Editor (Donth E, Hempel E and Schick C 2000 J. Phys.: Condens, Matter. 12L281) it was shown that the characteristic length of the dynamic glass transition in confined geometries favours the von Lau e approach to thermodynamics over the Gibbs approach. In the present paper the two approaches are compared as regards their ability to describe temper ature fluctuations and statistically independent nanometre subsystems repre sentative for linear response of the whole sample. It is discussed why the dynamic glass transition can reflect properties of a quantum mechanical (qm ) experiment (measurement process). The fluctuation-dissipation theorem (FD T) is interpreted as an equation describing a stationary succession of such experiments. The thermodynamics constructed from such an FDT is consistent with the second law: this law is inherent and the time arrow follows merel y from the properties of the qm experiments.