Quantum neural computer

[rohwerrj]

> Hitherto all computers have been designed based on classical laws.
> We consider the question of building a quantum neural computer and
> speculate on its computing power.  We argue that such a computer
> could have the potential to solve artificial intelligence problems.

It is difficult to argue that quantum computation plays an important
role in everyone's favorite intelligent computer, the human brain.
The characteristically 'quantum' properties of quantum computers,
such as the ability to run a superposition of programs simultaneously
on a single machine, arise only if the computer is a totally isolated
system; ie., it exchanges not a single quantum of energy with
its environment.  The brain fails this test pathetically.

As Professor Kak's TR probably makes clear [My apologies for posting
this before obtaining it], the engineering requirements for building
any quantum quantum computer, neurally-inspired or not, are quite
severe.  Furthermore, the required programming style is bizarre:
To prevent energy dissapation, programs must be written so that
all intermediate results are eventually erased.

> Intelligence, and by implication consciousness, has been taken by
> many computer scientists to emerge from the complexity of the
> interconnections between the neurons.  But if it is taken to be a
> unity, as urged by Schrodinger and other physicists ,
> then it should be described by a quantum mechanical wave
> function.  No representation in terms of networking of classical

I am sympathetic to the view that quantum superposition has something
important to do with mind.  Otherwise it would be (even more) difficult
to explain the quantum measurement process.  But for the reasons given,
I don't think quantum computers are the missing link.

Richard Rohwer
Dept. of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics
Aston University
Aston Triangle
Birmingham  B4 7ET
ENGLAND

Tel: (44 or 0) (21) 359-3611 x4688
FAX: (44 or 0) (21) 333-6215
rohwerrj at uk.ac.aston.cs