Wednesday, November 24, 2004

Re: Quantum Computing??

I concur with Mohnish on this one...

Please provide some context to that. I have no idea why the theory of gravitation even came up!!

I just gave that as an example, because that's the most well known theory in all of physics.

By the way, we got "used" to it because it's a law of nature, not something followed as a matter of convenience.

Quantum mechanics is very accurate when it comes to predicting phenomena the quantum level and it's not followed as a matter of convenience. Experiments agree with it and it is a well established theory.

And for the record, as far as gravity is concerned, it's not an exact 'law' of nature. It works for all day to day situations but when you scale things up, when it comes to predicting the motion of heavenly bodies accurately, gravity breaks down. That's where you need general relativity. Similarly, at the other end of the spectrum, at the quantum level, gravity fails; even general relativity does. That's where you need quantum mechanics.

I don't know about 'string theories'. They could be mathematically beautiful but inaccurate... I have no clue. But general relativity and quantum mechanics are the two massive pillars of physics and they're very strong.

We are not scientists so we will never fully comprehend this stuff, but I have no reason to doubt the work.
But these guys are the pretty bright and I trust they know what they're doing.

Exactly. And bright is an understatement. Supremely intelligent human beings like Richard Feynman have contributed to quantum mechanics. We're not even qualified to comment on the fundamentals of the subject, let alone judge it. And here we have someone with not even an undergraduate degree in physics calling quantum mechanics 'irrational'. That's more than just ridiculous...

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