711 research outputs found
Machines, Logic and Quantum Physics
Though the truths of logic and pure mathematics are objective and independent
of any contingent facts or laws of nature, our knowledge of these truths
depends entirely on our knowledge of the laws of physics. Recent progress in
the quantum theory of computation has provided practical instances of this, and
forces us to abandon the classical view that computation, and hence
mathematical proof, are purely logical notions independent of that of
computation as a physical process. Henceforward, a proof must be regarded not
as an abstract object or process but as a physical process, a species of
computation, whose scope and reliability depend on our knowledge of the physics
of the computer concerned.Comment: 19 pages, 8 figure
Succinctness of two-way probabilistic and quantum finite automata
We prove that two-way probabilistic and quantum finite automata (2PFA's and
2QFA's) can be considerably more concise than both their one-way versions
(1PFA's and 1QFA's), and two-way nondeterministic finite automata (2NFA's). For
this purpose, we demonstrate several infinite families of regular languages
which can be recognized with some fixed probability greater than by
just tuning the transition amplitudes of a 2QFA (and, in one case, a 2PFA) with
a constant number of states, whereas the sizes of the corresponding 1PFA's,
1QFA's and 2NFA's grow without bound. We also show that 2QFA's with mixed
states can support highly efficient probability amplification. The weakest
known model of computation where quantum computers recognize more languages
with bounded error than their classical counterparts is introduced.Comment: A new version, 21 pages, late
The quantum measurement problem and physical reality: a computation theoretic perspective
Is the universe computable? If yes, is it computationally a polynomial place?
In standard quantum mechanics, which permits infinite parallelism and the
infinitely precise specification of states, a negative answer to both questions
is not ruled out. On the other hand, empirical evidence suggests that
NP-complete problems are intractable in the physical world. Likewise,
computational problems known to be algorithmically uncomputable do not seem to
be computable by any physical means. We suggest that this close correspondence
between the efficiency and power of abstract algorithms on the one hand, and
physical computers on the other, finds a natural explanation if the universe is
assumed to be algorithmic; that is, that physical reality is the product of
discrete sub-physical information processing equivalent to the actions of a
probabilistic Turing machine. This assumption can be reconciled with the
observed exponentiality of quantum systems at microscopic scales, and the
consequent possibility of implementing Shor's quantum polynomial time algorithm
at that scale, provided the degree of superposition is intrinsically, finitely
upper-bounded. If this bound is associated with the quantum-classical divide
(the Heisenberg cut), a natural resolution to the quantum measurement problem
arises. From this viewpoint, macroscopic classicality is an evidence that the
universe is in BPP, and both questions raised above receive affirmative
answers. A recently proposed computational model of quantum measurement, which
relates the Heisenberg cut to the discreteness of Hilbert space, is briefly
discussed. A connection to quantum gravity is noted. Our results are compatible
with the philosophy that mathematical truths are independent of the laws of
physics.Comment: Talk presented at "Quantum Computing: Back Action 2006", IIT Kanpur,
India, March 200
Consistent use of paradoxes in deriving constraints on the dynamics of physical systems and of no-go-theorems
The classical methods used by recursion theory and formal logic to block
paradoxes do not work in quantum information theory. Since quantum information
can exist as a coherent superposition of the classical ``yes'' and ``no''
states, certain tasks which are not conceivable in the classical setting can be
performed in the quantum setting. Classical logical inconsistencies do not
arise, since there exist fixed point states of the diagonalization operator. In
particular, closed timelike curves need not be eliminated in the quantum
setting, since they would not lead to any paradoxical outcome controllability.
Quantum information theory can also be subjected to the treatment of
inconsistent information in databases and expert systems. It is suggested that
any two pieces of contradicting information are stored and processed as
coherent superposition. In order to be tractable, this strategy requires
quantum computation.Comment: 10 pages, latex, no figure
An Application of Quantum Finite Automata to Interactive Proof Systems
Quantum finite automata have been studied intensively since their
introduction in late 1990s as a natural model of a quantum computer with
finite-dimensional quantum memory space. This paper seeks their direct
application to interactive proof systems in which a mighty quantum prover
communicates with a quantum-automaton verifier through a common communication
cell. Our quantum interactive proof systems are juxtaposed to
Dwork-Stockmeyer's classical interactive proof systems whose verifiers are
two-way probabilistic automata. We demonstrate strengths and weaknesses of our
systems and further study how various restrictions on the behaviors of
quantum-automaton verifiers affect the power of quantum interactive proof
systems.Comment: This is an extended version of the conference paper in the
Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Implementation and
Application of Automata, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Springer-Verlag,
Kingston, Canada, July 22-24, 200
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