Quantum Computing

[Zam-Zam]

It's funny how one thing leads to another. I had posted earlier an article of majorana particles, which lead to to Scott Aaronson of MIT, which lead me to quantum computing. For anyone interested.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/06/s...insights.html?_r=3&ref=science&pagewanted=all



Earlier post:


http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0413160004.htm

 

[Zam-Zam]

Companion piece:


http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111004123604.htm

 

[GordonGecko]

Isn't one of the theories of quantum computing that such a computer would actually "tap in" to other versions of itself in alternative universes to aid with its processing?

 

[Zam-Zam]

Isn't one of the theories of quantum computing that such a computer would actually "tap in" to other versions of itself in alternative universes to aid with its processing?

Are you referring to the Church Turing conjecture? Or is this something else?

 

[GordonGecko]

Just some general information, I've read on QCs....that their existance would somehow "prove" parallel universes and that there were some ideas that their ability to process steps instantaneously was due to a form of "parallel computing" involving contact with other QCs in parallel universes.

I'm a layman...but curious.

 

[Zam-Zam]

Just some general information, I've read on QCs....that their existance would somehow "prove" parallel universes and that there were some ideas that their ability to process steps instantaneously was due to a form of "parallel computing" involving contact with other QCs in parallel universes.

I'm a layman...but curious.

I'm not familiar with that particular theory. If you could point me to some source material on it I'd happily check it out.

 

[Zam-Zam]

Just some general information, I've read on QCs....that their existance would somehow "prove" parallel universes and that there were some ideas that their ability to process steps instantaneously was due to a form of "parallel computing" involving contact with other QCs in parallel universes.

I'm a layman...but curious.

Perhaps this will help:



Quantum superposition does not permit quantum computers to “perform
many computations simultaneously” except in a highly qualified and
to some extent misleading sense. Quantum computation is therefore
not well described by interpretations of quantum mechanics which
invoke the concept of vast numbers of parallel universes. Rather, entanglement
makes available types of computation process which, while
not exponentially larger than classical ones, are unavailable to classical
systems. The essence of quantum computation is that it uses entanglement
to generate and manipulate a physical representation of the
correlations between logical entities, without the need to completely
represent the logical entities themselves.





From an abstract A quantum computer only needs one universe by A.M. Steane, Professfor of Physics, Exeter College, University of Oxford

 

[GordonGecko]

http://193.189.74.53/~qubitor/people/david/structure/Documents/Non-Technical/Frontiers.html

 

[Zam-Zam]

ƒ:{0,1}ᵑ→{0,1}


David Deutsch and Richard Jozsa, circa 1992. His quantum algorithm lays the groundwork for Grover's.



A brief, if a bit high schoolish read on this topic here: http://www.technologyreview.com/blog/arxiv/26787/

 

[GordonGecko]

Boil it down to THAT question.....would a quantum computer "prove" the multi-verse?

 

[Zam-Zam]

Boil it down to THAT question.....would a quantum computer "prove" the multi-verse?

It might, or it might disprove it. Perhaps one day we will find out.

 

[Zam-Zam]

This company claims to actually build quantum computers. Of course, this is a technology that is still in its very early (and largely theoretical) stages:


http://www.dwavesys.com/en/deep-dive.html


The accompanying pdf files are worth a look.

 

[GordonGecko]

It might, or it might disprove it. Perhaps one day we will find out.

The philosophical/theological implications of a "proven" multi-verse would be interesting. i.e. Did Jesus exist in all universes? Do "later" or "earlier" universes exist (ones where the Big Bang occured at an earlier or later point) and does that mean that they open up the possibility of "time travel"?