Non-Causal Computation
Computation models such as circuits describe sequences of computation steps that are carried out one after the other. In other words, algorithm design is traditionally subject to the restriction imposed by a fixed causal order. We address a novel computing paradigm beyond quantum computing, replacin...
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MDPI AG
2017-07-01
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| Series: | Entropy |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/19/7/326 |
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doaj-4122f907c9184879ba8a5864cd63b67b2020-11-24T21:24:57ZengMDPI AGEntropy1099-43002017-07-0119732610.3390/e19070326e19070326Non-Causal ComputationÄmin Baumeler0Stefan Wolf1Faculty of Informatics, Università della Svizzera italiana, 6900 Lugano, SwitzerlandFacoltà indipendente di Gandria, 6978 Gandria, SwitzerlandComputation models such as circuits describe sequences of computation steps that are carried out one after the other. In other words, algorithm design is traditionally subject to the restriction imposed by a fixed causal order. We address a novel computing paradigm beyond quantum computing, replacing this assumption by mere logical consistency: We study non-causal circuits, where a fixed time structure within a gate is locally assumed whilst the global causal structure between the gates is dropped. We present examples of logically consistent non-causal circuits outperforming all causal ones; they imply that suppressing loops entirely is more restrictive than just avoiding the contradictions they can give rise to. That fact is already known for correlations as well as for communication, and we here extend it to computation.https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/19/7/326physical computing modelscomplexity classescausality |
| collection |
DOAJ |
| language |
English |
| format |
Article |
| sources |
DOAJ |
| author |
Ämin Baumeler Stefan Wolf |
| spellingShingle |
Ämin Baumeler Stefan Wolf Non-Causal Computation Entropy physical computing models complexity classes causality |
| author_facet |
Ämin Baumeler Stefan Wolf |
| author_sort |
Ämin Baumeler |
| title |
Non-Causal Computation |
| title_short |
Non-Causal Computation |
| title_full |
Non-Causal Computation |
| title_fullStr |
Non-Causal Computation |
| title_full_unstemmed |
Non-Causal Computation |
| title_sort |
non-causal computation |
| publisher |
MDPI AG |
| series |
Entropy |
| issn |
1099-4300 |
| publishDate |
2017-07-01 |
| description |
Computation models such as circuits describe sequences of computation steps that are carried out one after the other. In other words, algorithm design is traditionally subject to the restriction imposed by a fixed causal order. We address a novel computing paradigm beyond quantum computing, replacing this assumption by mere logical consistency: We study non-causal circuits, where a fixed time structure within a gate is locally assumed whilst the global causal structure between the gates is dropped. We present examples of logically consistent non-causal circuits outperforming all causal ones; they imply that suppressing loops entirely is more restrictive than just avoiding the contradictions they can give rise to. That fact is already known for correlations as well as for communication, and we here extend it to computation. |
| topic |
physical computing models complexity classes causality |
| url |
https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/19/7/326 |
| work_keys_str_mv |
AT aminbaumeler noncausalcomputation AT stefanwolf noncausalcomputation |
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1725985867327078400 |