From: Iain Strachan (iain.strachan.asa@ntlworld.com)
Date: Tue May 13 2003 - 18:21:22 EDT
Gary:
> I have found this thread very interesting but unfortunately I have not had
> enough time to participate. However, I would like to ask a couple of
> questions.
>
I'll have a go.
>
> The first is to do with computing. Maybe Iain would know the answer to
> this one. Does Turing's restriction still apply in the case of quantum
> computing / quantum processes?
>
I don't know much about this, but I think the case may be different for
Quantum computing. The last chapter of Simon Singh's book "The Code Book"
anticipates quantum computing & suggests that such devices might be able to
crack existing public key/private key encryption devices. To do so one has
to find two very large prime factors of an enormous composite number. I
believe the implication was that the factorization might be doable as all
divisors could be tested simultaneously in a superposition of quantum
states. But I don't know whether this is just a SciFi type fantasy at the
moment or whether it actually is a practical possibility. I don't think
anyone's seriously suggested biological evolution as being a large scale
quantum interference effect, though. How's that for a crazy idea?
> The second is to do with ID and irreducible complexity. From what I
gather,
> irreducible means that no component can be removed without the system
> as a whole failing. But what about components being added? Is it possible
> that what we see now as an irreducible system in fact became the way it
> is by loss of components from what was previously not an irreducible
> system?
>
I guess so; I suppose you could make the analogy between such systems (ID +
added components) and pure ID as being analogous to composite numbers and
prime numbers?
I'll leave the biochemists to answer your other question.
Iain
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.4 : Tue May 13 2003 - 18:21:29 EDT