What exactly does the proposed 4th law of thermodynamics mean?

[DeathByKugelBlitz]

'Every non-equilibrium state of a system or local subsystem for which entropy is well defined must be equipped with a metric in state space with respect to which the irreversible component of its time evolution is in the direction of steepest entropy ascent compatible with the conservation constraints.'

I understand the first 4 laws but this one is new

 

[dextercioby]

Do you have a reference for your quote?

 

[DeathByKugelBlitz]

Do you have a reference for your quote?

https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsta.2019.0168

 

[dextercioby]

Wow, this is fresh stuff with a lot of background research from the last 40 years. It looks like it is not a consequence of the 0th (transitivity of thermodynamic equilibrium and empiric/operational definition of temperature), 1st, 2nd and 3rd laws of thermodynamics, but an independent conclusion. I can't say more right now, I let some expert offer an explanation of its meaning and relevance.
I thank you for bringing it up.