Aaronson homepage. Scott's research interests center around
fundamental limits on what can efficiently be computed in the
physical world. Member of the Theory of Computation and
Complexity Theory groups. This course tries to connect quantum
computing to the wider intellectual world. We'll start out with
various scientific, mathematical, or philosophical problems that
predate quantum computing: for example, the measurement problem,
P versus NP, the existence of secure cryptography, the Humean
problem of induction, or the possibility of closed timelike
curves. We'll then examine in what ways, if any, quantum
computing affects how we should think about the problem. To keep
things grounded, each session will end with a concrete puzzle
that students will be expected to have thought about (if not
solved) by the next session. The class format will strongly
encourage participation, discussion, and debate. It weaves
together seemingly disparate topics into a cohesive whole,
including quantum mechanics, complexity, fre