4 ms·

Hi Scott There are non-quantum physical systems that exhibits positive and negative amplitudes and interference. Can I factor large numbers by throwing rocks

Hi Scott There are non-quantum physical systems that exhibits positive and negative amplitudes and interference. Can I factor large numbers by throwing rocks in a lake and measuring the water height at the right place? Why not?

sethrin 8y ago
Lakes don't have the required quantum properties, I think, but this might work: http://math.mit.edu/~bush/?page_id=484 http://math.mit.edu/~bush/?page_id=484
mindcrime 8y ago
Not Scott, and this has nothing to do with interference, but it is possible to "calculate" certain things using physical phenomenon like water levels. It's basically a variation of "analog computing". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analog_computer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analog_computer An analog computer or analogue computer is a form of computer that uses the continuously changeable aspects of physical phenomena such as electrical, mechanical, or hydraulic quantities to model the problem being solved I don't think it has much to do with QC, but analog computing is interesting in its own right.
- erostrate 8y ago
  Thanks! This is indeed related and part of my inspiration for this question. Some other interesting references: - The waterfall argument in paragraph 6 of the mind-boggling "Why Philosophers Should Care About Computational Complexity". https://www.scottaaronson.com/papers/philos.pdf https://www.scottaaronson.com/papers/philos.pdf - "NP-complete Problems and Physical Reality" https://www.scottaaronson.com/papers/npcomplete.pdf https://www.scottaaronson.com/papers/npcomplete.pdf
- brett40324 8y ago
  So, basically, yes. Particularly if you consider most concepts in mechanical engineering. What you're talking about is the real implementation of what we call physics, just working as expected, automagically.
ScottAaronson 8y ago
See this previous answer: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17428675 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17428675

sethrin 8y ago

Lakes don't have the required quantum properties, I think, but this might work: http://math.mit.edu/~bush/?page_id=484 http://math.mit.edu/~bush/?page_id=484

mindcrime 8y ago

Not Scott, and this has nothing to do with interference, but it is possible to "calculate" certain things using physical phenomenon like water levels. It's basically a variation of "analog computing". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analog_computer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analog_computer An analog computer or analogue computer is a form of computer that uses the continuously changeable aspects of physical phenomena such as electrical, mechanical, or hydraulic quantities to model the problem being solved I don't think it has much to do with QC, but analog computing is interesting in its own right.

erostrate 8y ago
Thanks! This is indeed related and part of my inspiration for this question. Some other interesting references: - The waterfall argument in paragraph 6 of the mind-boggling "Why Philosophers Should Care About Computational Complexity". https://www.scottaaronson.com/papers/philos.pdf https://www.scottaaronson.com/papers/philos.pdf - "NP-complete Problems and Physical Reality" https://www.scottaaronson.com/papers/npcomplete.pdf https://www.scottaaronson.com/papers/npcomplete.pdf
brett40324 8y ago
So, basically, yes. Particularly if you consider most concepts in mechanical engineering. What you're talking about is the real implementation of what we call physics, just working as expected, automagically.

ScottAaronson 8y ago

See this previous answer: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17428675 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17428675