From: jamesd@netcom.com (James A. Donald)
Date: Mon, 25 Jul 94 20:10:46 PDT
To: m5@vail.tivoli.com (Mike McNally)
Subject: Re: GUT and P=NP
In-Reply-To: <9407241343.AA03758@vail.tivoli.com>
Message-ID: <199407242126.OAA14188@netcom13.netcom.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


Mike McNally writes
> So are you suggesting that the definition of "algorithm" has
> an "as long as it's not too hard" clause?

No.

I said what I meant.

An algorithm is a method of solving problems.  Not everything in
the universe is an algorithm or equivalent to an algorithm.

Suppose we have a quantum computer that solves some NP (incomplete)
problem in polynomial time with order one probability..

A numerical simulation of that computer very likely involves 
evaluating every possible solution of that NP problem as
one of a great many steps, thus to describe that numerical
simulation as an algorithm for solving the problem is
meaningless or obfuscatory.  

The simulation is equivalent the mindless brute force algorithm 
for solving the problem, plus an enormous amount of garbage.  
The quantum computer is not equivalent to the mindless brute
force algorithm for solving the problem.


-- 
 ---------------------------------------------------------------------
We have the right to defend ourselves and our
property, because of the kind of animals that we              James A. Donald
are.  True law derives from this right, not from
the arbitrary power of the omnipotent state.                jamesd@netcom.com