Here we set the scene for an explanation of the functioning of quantum computers and their significance. What are the problems that quantum computation might solve? What is the fundamental advantage of computation and hence quantum computation for humanity and for an understanding of "the fabric of reality". We connect quantum computation to the technologies ... Show More
Mar 11
Ep 259: Reaction to Michael Levin Part 3: Bait and Switch, Podcastistan and Surprising(?) algorithms.
In this, the third and final part of a series, I break down some work Michael Levin has done with sorting algorithms. That seems very dry until you hear his claim that these algorithms that are well known and have been studied for decades exhibit extremely unusual behaviour never ... Show More
59m 35s
Feb 16
Ep 258: Reaction to Michael Levin, Part 2: Bioelectricity, Consciousness and Knowing
This is the second in a multipart series where I react to some interviews with @drmichaellevin a biologist who, among other things, specialises in bioelectricity. His research can be found here: https://www.drmichaellevin.org and his "explainer articles" for his own professiona ... Show More
1h 38m
Feb 9
Ep 257: Reaction to Michael Levin, Part 1: Categories and Continuums.
This is the first in a multipart series where I react to some interviews with @drmichaellevin - a biologist who, among other things, specialises in bioelectricity. His research can be found here: https://www.drmichaellevin.org/publications/ and his "explainer articles" for his ow ... Show More
1h 8m
Jun 2016
Strachey Lecture - Quantum Supremacy
Dr Scott Aaronson (MIT, UT Austin) gives the 2016 Strachey lecture. In the near future, it will likely become possible to perform special-purpose quantum computations that, while not immediately useful for anything, are plausibly hard to simulate using a classical computer. These ... Show More
1h 12m