The computable universe hypothesis

DOI10.1142/9789814374309_0025zbMATH Open1257.03075arXiv1003.5831OpenAlexW1932933731MaRDI QIDQ4907937FDOQ4907937

Authors: Matthew P. Szudzik 

Publication date: 26 February 2013

Published in: A Computable Universe (Search for Journal in Brave)

Abstract: When can a model of a physical system be regarded as computable? We provide the definition of a computable physical model to answer this question. The connection between our definition and Kreisel's notion of a mechanistic theory is discussed, and several examples of computable physical models are given, including models which feature discrete motion, a model which features non-discrete continuous motion, and probabilistic models such as radioactive decay. We show how computable physical models on effective topological spaces can be formulated using the theory of type-two effectivity (TTE). Various common operations on computable physical models are described, such as the operation of coarse-graining and the formation of statistical ensembles. The definition of a computable physical model also allows for a precise formalization of the computable universe hypothesis--the claim that all the laws of physics are computable.

Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/1003.5831

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Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Physics (00A79) Higher-type and set recursion theory (03D65) Applications of computability and recursion theory (03D80)

Cited In (8)

• A holographic bound on the total number of computations in the visible universe
• The subjective computable universe
• Semantics of computable physical models
• Clockwork Rebooted: Is the Universe a Computer?
• Computing the uncomputable; or, the discrete charm of second-order simulacra
• Computational universes
• Physical Systems as Constructive Logics
• Estimates of universal computational capacity to the present

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