Re:A Model of a Mind
by justinpombrio on Tuesday July 02, 2024 @11:47AM
(#40857793)
> The only way to simulate accurately on a classical computer is to use global state but this goes against the instruction that the devices must be isolated from each other.
No shit. Of course you can't take a simulation method that takes exponential running time in terms of the size of the thing you're simulating (two Mermin devices), then simulate each half (each Mermin device) independently. If you could split it up like that you'd have a polynomial time simulation method!
The only way to simulate accurately on a classical computer is to use global state but this goes against the instruction that the devices must be isolated from each other.
> This is immaterial, however. It is a well known fact that BQP is in PSPACE and Clifford circuits (a subclass of quantum circuits) can not only be simulated classically, but done so efficiently. It is not controversial.
Yes, BQP problems are solvable and a "subclass" of quantum circuits can be simulated efficiently. But the fact is there are known aspects of reality that cannot be simulated on a classical computer.