References & Citations
Quantum Physics
Title: Book Review: 'A New Kind of Science'
(Submitted on 13 Jun 2002 (v1), last revised 30 Jul 2002 (this version, v2))
Abstract: This is a critical review of the book 'A New Kind of Science' by Stephen Wolfram. We do not attempt a chapter-by-chapter evaluation, but instead focus on two areas: computational complexity and fundamental physics. In complexity, we address some of the questions Wolfram raises using standard techniques in theoretical computer science. In physics, we examine Wolfram's proposal for a deterministic model underlying quantum mechanics, with 'long-range threads' to connect entangled particles. We show that this proposal cannot be made compatible with both special relativity and Bell inequality violation.
Submission history
From: Scott Aaronson [view email][v1] Thu, 13 Jun 2002 16:30:03 GMT (17kb)
[v2] Tue, 30 Jul 2002 21:29:53 GMT (22kb)