124,102 research outputs found
Quantum Information Dynamics and Open World Science
One of the fundamental insights of quantum mechanics is that complete knowledge of the state of a quantum system is not possible. Such incomplete knowledge of a physical system is the norm rather than the exception. This is becoming increasingly apparent as we apply scientific methods to increasingly complex situations. Empirically intensive disciplines in the biological, human, and geosciences all operate in situations where valid conclusions must be drawn, but deductive completeness is impossible. This paper argues that such situations are emerging examples of {it Open World} Science. In this paradigm, scientific models are known to be acting with incomplete information. Open World models acknowledge their incompleteness, and respond positively when new information becomes available. Many methods for creating Open World models have been explored analytically in quantitative disciplines such as statistics, and the increasingly mature area of machine learning. This paper examines the role of quantum theory and quantum logic in the underpinnings of Open World models, examining the importance of structural features of such as non-commutativity, degrees of similarity, induction, and the impact of observation. Quantum mechanics is not a problem around the edges of classical theory, but is rather a secure bridgehead in the world of science to come
Emergence: Key physical issues for deeper philosophical inquiries
A sketch of three senses of emergence and a suggestive view on the emergence
of time and the direction of time is presented. After trying to identify which
issues philosophers interested in emergent phenomena in physics view as
important I make several observations pertaining to the concepts, methodology
and mechanisms required to understand emergence and describe a platform for its
investigation. I then identify some key physical issues which I feel need be
better appreciated by the philosophers in this pursuit. I end with some
comments on one of these issues, that of coarse-graining and persistent
structures.Comment: 16 pages. Invited Talk at the Heinz von Foerster Centenary
International Conference on Self-Organization and Emergence: Emergent Quantum
Mechanics (EmerQuM11). Nov. 10-13, 2011, Vienna, Austria. Proceedings to
appear in J. Phys. (Conf. Series
Emergence: Key physical issues for deeper philosophical inquiries
A sketch of three senses of emergence and a suggestive view on the emergence
of time and the direction of time is presented. After trying to identify which
issues philosophers interested in emergent phenomena in physics view as
important I make several observations pertaining to the concepts, methodology
and mechanisms required to understand emergence and describe a platform for its
investigation. I then identify some key physical issues which I feel need be
better appreciated by the philosophers in this pursuit. I end with some
comments on one of these issues, that of coarse-graining and persistent
structures.Comment: 16 pages. Invited Talk at the Heinz von Foerster Centenary
International Conference on Self-Organization and Emergence: Emergent Quantum
Mechanics (EmerQuM11). Nov. 10-13, 2011, Vienna, Austria. Proceedings to
appear in J. Phys. (Conf. Series
Complex Networks from Classical to Quantum
Recent progress in applying complex network theory to problems in quantum
information has resulted in a beneficial crossover. Complex network methods
have successfully been applied to transport and entanglement models while
information physics is setting the stage for a theory of complex systems with
quantum information-inspired methods. Novel quantum induced effects have been
predicted in random graphs---where edges represent entangled links---and
quantum computer algorithms have been proposed to offer enhancement for several
network problems. Here we review the results at the cutting edge, pinpointing
the similarities and the differences found at the intersection of these two
fields.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figures, REVTeX 4-1, accepted versio
Interdisciplinary and physics challenges of Network Theory
Network theory has unveiled the underlying structure of complex systems such
as the Internet or the biological networks in the cell. It has identified
universal properties of complex networks, and the interplay between their
structure and dynamics. After almost twenty years of the field, new challenges
lie ahead. These challenges concern the multilayer structure of most of the
networks, the formulation of a network geometry and topology, and the
development of a quantum theory of networks. Making progress on these aspects
of network theory can open new venues to address interdisciplinary and physics
challenges including progress on brain dynamics, new insights into quantum
technologies, and quantum gravity.Comment: (7 pages, 4 figures
Nonlinear Quantum Dynamics
The vast majority of the literature dealing with quantum dynamics is
concerned with linear evolution of the wave function or the density matrix. A
complete dynamical description requires a full understanding of the evolution
of measured quantum systems, necessary to explain actual experimental results.
The dynamics of such systems is intrinsically nonlinear even at the level of
distribution functions, both classically as well as quantum mechanically. Aside
from being physically more complete, this treatment reveals the existence of
dynamical regimes, such as chaos, that have no counterpart in the linear case.
Here, we present a short introductory review of some of these aspects, with a
few illustrative results and examples.Comment: 13 pages, 3 figures, invited talk at the NATO Advanced Workshop,
"Nonlinear Dynamics and Fundamental Interactions," (October, 2004, Tashkent
Nature as a Network of Morphological Infocomputational Processes for Cognitive Agents
This paper presents a view of nature as a network of infocomputational agents organized in a dynamical hierarchy of levels. It provides a framework for unification of currently disparate understandings of natural, formal, technical, behavioral and social phenomena based on information as a structure, differences in one system that cause the differences in another system, and computation as its dynamics, i.e. physical process of morphological change in the informational structure. We address some of the frequent misunderstandings regarding the natural/morphological computational models and their relationships to physical systems, especially cognitive systems such as living beings. Natural morphological infocomputation as a conceptual framework necessitates generalization of models of computation beyond the traditional Turing machine model presenting symbol manipulation, and requires agent-based concurrent resource-sensitive models of computation in order to be able to cover the whole range of phenomena from physics to cognition. The central role of agency, particularly material vs. cognitive agency is highlighted
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