[ExI] few bits per second.

[Stefano Vaj]

2010/6/28 John Clark <jonkc at bellsouth.net>
> What's with this "little more" business? If the brain isn't a digital computer it can certainly be simulated by one, and that's all I need.

In fact, I sincerely doubt that anything exists which be not a
"digital computer". With that I do not mean any profound metaphysical
concept about the universe, but simply that all physical (i.e.,
existing) systems can be described as "digital computers" under
Wolphram's Principle of Computational Equivalence.

Of course, if one is interested in a biological brain, say, in respect
of its metabolism of glucides, or as the meat involved in some
recipes, its approach to the same may be different.

> I agree. The thinking, if you can call it that, is that Quantum Mechanics is mysterious and consciousness is mysterious so the two must be related. I don't believe it's anything more profound than that.

Exactly my view.

> That said I must admit that it's possible, maybe even probable, that quantum principles can, not just theoretically but in the real world, exponentially speed up computation. In other words it may actually be possible to make a practical quantum computer; and that would change the world. With enough computation you can do anything.

In fact, human brains, let alone other brains, are exceedingly poor at
the kind of problems where we expect quantum computing to represent,
well, a quantum leap. Even more so than ordinary, electronic
computers.

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Stefano Vaj