16,704 research outputs found
Computation vs. Information Processing: Why Their Difference Matters to Cognitive Science
Since the cognitive revolution, itâs become commonplace that cognition involves both computation and information processing. Is this one claim or two? Is computation the same as information processing? The two terms are often used interchangeably, but this usage masks important differences. In this paper, we distinguish information processing from computation and examine some of their mutual relations, shedding light on the role each can play in a theory of cognition. We recommend that theorists of cognition be explicit and careful in choosing\ud
notions of computation and information and connecting them together. Much confusion can be avoided by doing so
Fundamental Principles of Neural Organization of Cognition
The manuscript advances a hypothesis that there are few fundamental principles of neural organization of cognition, which explain several wide areas of the cognitive functioning. We summarize the fundamental principles, experimental, theoretical, and modeling evidence for these principles, relate them to hypothetical neural mechanisms, and made a number of predictions. We consider cognitive functioning including concepts, emotions, drives-instincts, learning, “higher” cognitive functions of language, interaction of language and cognition, role of emotions in this interaction, the beautiful, sublime, and music. Among mechanisms of behavior we concentrate on internal actions in the brain, learning and decision making. A number of predictions are made, some of which have been previously formulated and experimentally confirmed, and a number of new predictions are made that can be experimentally tested. Is it possible to explain a significant part of workings of the mind from a few basic principles, similar to how Newton explained motions of planets? This manuscript summarizes a part of contemporary knowledge toward this goal
Graphical Reasoning in Compact Closed Categories for Quantum Computation
Compact closed categories provide a foundational formalism for a variety of
important domains, including quantum computation. These categories have a
natural visualisation as a form of graphs. We present a formalism for
equational reasoning about such graphs and develop this into a generic proof
system with a fixed logical kernel for equational reasoning about compact
closed categories. Automating this reasoning process is motivated by the slow
and error prone nature of manual graph manipulation. A salient feature of our
system is that it provides a formal and declarative account of derived results
that can include `ellipses'-style notation. We illustrate the framework by
instantiating it for a graphical language of quantum computation and show how
this can be used to perform symbolic computation.Comment: 21 pages, 9 figures. This is the journal version of the paper
published at AIS
Synthesis of Topological Quantum Circuits
Topological quantum computing has recently proven itself to be a very
powerful model when considering large- scale, fully error corrected quantum
architectures. In addition to its robust nature under hardware errors, it is a
software driven method of error corrected computation, with the hardware
responsible for only creating a generic quantum resource (the topological
lattice). Computation in this scheme is achieved by the geometric manipulation
of holes (defects) within the lattice. Interactions between logical qubits
(quantum gate operations) are implemented by using particular arrangements of
the defects, such as braids and junctions. We demonstrate that junction-based
topological quantum gates allow highly regular and structured implementation of
large CNOT (controlled-not) gate networks, which ultimately form the basis of
the error corrected primitives that must be used for an error corrected
algorithm. We present a number of heuristics to optimise the area of the
resulting structures and therefore the number of the required hardware
resources.Comment: 7 Pages, 10 Figures, 1 Tabl
Partial-indistinguishability obfuscation using braids
An obfuscator is an algorithm that translates circuits into
functionally-equivalent similarly-sized circuits that are hard to understand.
Efficient obfuscators would have many applications in cryptography. Until
recently, theoretical progress has mainly been limited to no-go results. Recent
works have proposed the first efficient obfuscation algorithms for classical
logic circuits, based on a notion of indistinguishability against
polynomial-time adversaries. In this work, we propose a new notion of
obfuscation, which we call partial-indistinguishability. This notion is based
on computationally universal groups with efficiently computable normal forms,
and appears to be incomparable with existing definitions. We describe universal
gate sets for both classical and quantum computation, in which our definition
of obfuscation can be met by polynomial-time algorithms. We also discuss some
potential applications to testing quantum computers. We stress that the
cryptographic security of these obfuscators, especially when composed with
translation from other gate sets, remains an open question.Comment: 21 pages,Proceedings of TQC 201
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