Mar 23, 2010

Vlatko Vedral decodes reality

According to Vlatko Vedral (who's been mentioned here before), the universe is a quantum computer.
Over the last two decades, a flourishing field of quantum information and computation has generated a wealth of experimental and theoretical tests of information processing at the quantum scale. Vedral is one of the luminaries in this field.

In Decoding Reality, Vedral argues that we should regard the entire universe as a gigantic quantum computer. Wacky as that may sound, it is backed up by hard science. The laws of physics show that it is not only possible for electrons to store and flip bits: it is mandatory. For more than a decade, quantum-information scientists have been working to determine just how the universe processes information at the most microscopic scale.
Combine this with Nick Bostrom's "simulation argument," and, like Hamlet, you start wondering which level you're on, and if there will be any continues when the game ends. (At least I think that's what Hamlet was on about.)

1 comment:

Aaron said...

Of course! This giant quantum computer is working on the ultimate question to life, the universe, and everything.

The answer, we already know: 42.

To think, all this time I thought Douglas Adams was just a good storyteller.