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Not in the standard regime of finite state machines. If you allow for infinite continuous state machines and infinitesimal steps, then it’s no problem. Every cl
by jhrmnn 6y ago
Not in the standard regime of finite state machines. If you allow for infinite continuous state machines and infinitesimal steps, then it’s no problem. Every classical mechanical system is fully specified by positions and velocities. Transitions follow Newtonian mechanics. Every non-relativistic isolated quantum system is specified by the wave function and the transitions follow the Schrödinger equation.
- rantwasp 6y agofor my own clarification purposes: why is finite vs infinite an issue? IMHO, i don’t believe we have truly infinite state unless we’re talking about mathematical abstraction.
- jhrmnn 6y agoDon’t know if it is. But in computer science state machines are usually finite or at least discrete. Time evolution in quantum mechanics is certainly continuous, not discrete. Discrete are only some observables.
- rantwasp 6y agoi think we maybe are mixing measuring with the actual evolution of the state. you cannot observe a quantum system without altering its state. also, there is no such thing as an isolated quantum system. this is true even for classic mechanics but we are cool with it since the measurement error is insignificant compared to what we measure. i believe that the number of states a quantum system goes through is finite, albeit maybe very very large and the way we are treating it is based mostly on the tools we have not what is happening in reality.
- Dylan16807 6y agoIn practice it doesn't matter at all.
- TheOtherHobbes 6y agoBut observables are stochastic, not deterministic.
- jhrmnn 6y agoIf you refer to measuring and wave function collapse in QM, then yes, but for that you need interaction with the environment (the observer), that’s why I specified “isolated”. Regardless, even the wave function collapse is a state transition, albeit stochastic. I assume state machines allow for stochastic transitions?
- rantwasp 6y agowave function collapse is not an open and shut case. it’s fancy math in place to explain it. there are multiple interpretations of what is going on including the many worlds interpretation and my personal favorite the GWR interpretation. at the end of the day we don’t know what is going on at that level and we are speculating wildly based on the math we have. the math is sometimes useful as it has some real life applications - but speculation is speculation
- jayd16 6y agoIsn't this turning into a word game? If we're just saying "reality can be discrete state machines or continuous analog systems which I will call an infinite state machine" then are you really saying anything at all?
- jhrmnn 6y agoYeah, that’s probably the biggest weakness of this analogy—it’s kind of useless.