134 research outputs found
Natural Halting Probabilities, Partial Randomness, and Zeta Functions
We introduce the zeta number, natural halting probability and natural
complexity of a Turing machine and we relate them to Chaitin's Omega number,
halting probability, and program-size complexity. A classification of Turing
machines according to their zeta numbers is proposed: divergent, convergent and
tuatara. We prove the existence of universal convergent and tuatara machines.
Various results on (algorithmic) randomness and partial randomness are proved.
For example, we show that the zeta number of a universal tuatara machine is
c.e. and random. A new type of partial randomness, asymptotic randomness, is
introduced. Finally we show that in contrast to classical (algorithmic)
randomness--which cannot be naturally characterised in terms of plain
complexity--asymptotic randomness admits such a characterisation.Comment: Accepted for publication in Information and Computin
Von Neumann Normalisation of a Quantum Random Number Generator
In this paper we study von Neumann un-biasing normalisation for ideal and
real quantum random number generators, operating on finite strings or infinite
bit sequences. In the ideal cases one can obtain the desired un-biasing. This
relies critically on the independence of the source, a notion we rigorously
define for our model. In real cases, affected by imperfections in measurement
and hardware, one cannot achieve a true un-biasing, but, if the bias "drifts
sufficiently slowly", the result can be arbitrarily close to un-biasing. For
infinite sequences, normalisation can both increase or decrease the
(algorithmic) randomness of the generated sequences. A successful application
of von Neumann normalisation---in fact, any un-biasing transformation---does
exactly what it promises, un-biasing, one (among infinitely many) symptoms of
randomness; it will not produce "true" randomness.Comment: 27 pages, 2 figures. Updated to published versio
Most Programs Stop Quickly or Never Halt
Since many real-world problems arising in the fields of compiler
optimisation, automated software engineering, formal proof systems, and so
forth are equivalent to the Halting Problem--the most notorious undecidable
problem--there is a growing interest, not only academically, in understanding
the problem better and in providing alternative solutions. Halting computations
can be recognised by simply running them; the main difficulty is to detect
non-halting programs. Our approach is to have the probability space extend over
both space and time and to consider the probability that a random -bit
program has halted by a random time. We postulate an a priori computable
probability distribution on all possible runtimes and we prove that given an
integer k>0, we can effectively compute a time bound T such that the
probability that an N-bit program will eventually halt given that it has not
halted by T is smaller than 2^{-k}. We also show that the set of halting
programs (which is computably enumerable, but not computable) can be written as
a disjoint union of a computable set and a set of effectively vanishing
probability. Finally, we show that ``long'' runtimes are effectively rare. More
formally, the set of times at which an N-bit program can stop after the time
2^{N+constant} has effectively zero density.Comment: Shortened abstract and changed format of references to match Adv.
Appl. Math guideline
A Non-Probabilistic Model of Relativised Predictability in Physics
Little effort has been devoted to studying generalised notions or models of
(un)predictability, yet is an important concept throughout physics and plays a
central role in quantum information theory, where key results rely on the
supposed inherent unpredictability of measurement outcomes. In this paper we
continue the programme started in [1] developing a general, non-probabilistic
model of (un)predictability in physics. We present a more refined model that is
capable of studying different degrees of "relativised" unpredictability. This
model is based on the ability for an agent, acting via uniform, effective
means, to predict correctly and reproducibly the outcome of an experiment using
finite information extracted from the environment. We use this model to study
further the degree of unpredictability certified by different quantum
phenomena, showing that quantum complementarity guarantees a form of
relativised unpredictability that is weaker than that guaranteed by
Kochen-Specker-type value indefiniteness. We exemplify further the difference
between certification by complementarity and value indefiniteness by showing
that, unlike value indefiniteness, complementarity is compatible with the
production of computable sequences of bits.Comment: 10 page
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