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Start by following Konrad Zuse.
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“Like Alan Turing, Zuse was educated in a system that focused on a child's emotional and philosophical life as well as his intellectual life, and at the end of school, like Turing, Zuse found himself to be something of an outsider—to the disappointment of his very conventional parents, he no longer believed in God or religion.
(Jane Smiley (2010). The Man Who Invented the Computer)”
―
(Jane Smiley (2010). The Man Who Invented the Computer)”
―
“Differential equations describe only the final condition in the case of
the theory of ideally incompressible fluids. The actual process leading to
establishment of the end condition of equilibrium from a state of rest is
hardly conceivable without taking compressibility and braking processes into
account.”
― Rechnender Raum
the theory of ideally incompressible fluids. The actual process leading to
establishment of the end condition of equilibrium from a state of rest is
hardly conceivable without taking compressibility and braking processes into
account.”
― Rechnender Raum
“The concept of the computing universe is
still just a hypothesis; nothing has been proved. However, I am confident
that this idea can help unveil the secrets of nature.”
― Rechnender Raum
still just a hypothesis; nothing has been proved. However, I am confident
that this idea can help unveil the secrets of nature.”
― Rechnender Raum
“Imagination,” Zuse used to say, “is the key to all progress.”
― Rechnender Raum
― Rechnender Raum
“The models of modern physics are concerned, therefore, both with con-
tinuous and discrete values. It would seem appropriate to consider a hybrid
system. It will be extremely difficult to find a technical model of a hybrid
computer which behaves according to the laws of quantum physics.”
― Rechnender Raum
tinuous and discrete values. It would seem appropriate to consider a hybrid
system. It will be extremely difficult to find a technical model of a hybrid
computer which behaves according to the laws of quantum physics.”
― Rechnender Raum
“Pulses themselves have a digital
character, for they are normalized in intensity
and duration; they are therefore digital, but
their density (the number of pulses per unit time) can have any number of
intermediate values, and it is therefore analog in character. A commonly-held
opinion today is that the human nervous system operates on this principle.”
― Rechnender Raum
character, for they are normalized in intensity
and duration; they are therefore digital, but
their density (the number of pulses per unit time) can have any number of
intermediate values, and it is therefore analog in character. A commonly-held
opinion today is that the human nervous system operates on this principle.”
― Rechnender Raum
“Cellular automatons
provide an elegant solution
when each cell contains
a complete calculating
system, as symbolically
represented in Fig. 73.
These single calculating
systems contain both
information-processing
and information-storing
elements.”
― Rechnender Raum
provide an elegant solution
when each cell contains
a complete calculating
system, as symbolically
represented in Fig. 73.
These single calculating
systems contain both
information-processing
and information-storing
elements.”
― Rechnender Raum
“The initially equivalent result (i.e., the increase in entropy) arises in
both cases from the slight deviations from classical mechanics. In modern
physical models, these deviations are defined by probability laws; in the case
of computer models through defined calculation errors.”
― Rechnender Raum
both cases from the slight deviations from classical mechanics. In modern
physical models, these deviations are defined by probability laws; in the case
of computer models through defined calculation errors.”
― Rechnender Raum
“In 1967, Zuse suggested that the universe itself was running on a cellu-
lar automaton or a similar computational structure, a metaphysical position
known today as digital physics, a subject Ed Fredkin had himself taken up
before becoming acquainted with the work of Zuse. Excited to discover this
work, Fredkin invited Zuse to Cambridge, MA. The translation of Rechnen-
der Raum reproduced here, from a German (published) version of Zuse’s
ideas, was in fact commissioned during Ed Fredkin’s tenure as Director of
MIT’s Project MAC10 (the AI lab that was a precursor of the current MIT
AI labs)”
― Rechnender Raum
lar automaton or a similar computational structure, a metaphysical position
known today as digital physics, a subject Ed Fredkin had himself taken up
before becoming acquainted with the work of Zuse. Excited to discover this
work, Fredkin invited Zuse to Cambridge, MA. The translation of Rechnen-
der Raum reproduced here, from a German (published) version of Zuse’s
ideas, was in fact commissioned during Ed Fredkin’s tenure as Director of
MIT’s Project MAC10 (the AI lab that was a precursor of the current MIT
AI labs)”
― Rechnender Raum
“In view of the possibilities listed, it is clear that there are several different
points of view possible:
(1) “The ideas of calculating space contradict some recognized concepts
of present-day physics (for example, space isotropy); therefore, the
fundamental basis must be false.”
(2) “The laws of calculating space must he revised with the object of elim-
inating the existing contradictions.”
(3) “The possibilities arising from the ideas of calculating space are in
themselves so interesting that it is worthwhile to reconsider those con-
cepts of traditional physics which are called into question and to ex-
amine their validity from new points of view.”
― Rechnender Raum
points of view possible:
(1) “The ideas of calculating space contradict some recognized concepts
of present-day physics (for example, space isotropy); therefore, the
fundamental basis must be false.”
(2) “The laws of calculating space must he revised with the object of elim-
inating the existing contradictions.”
(3) “The possibilities arising from the ideas of calculating space are in
themselves so interesting that it is worthwhile to reconsider those con-
cepts of traditional physics which are called into question and to ex-
amine their validity from new points of view.”
― Rechnender Raum
“Horst was born precisely when Konrad was think-
ing about Rechnender Raum for the first time (the common translation into
English is Calculating Space but the phrase in his native German carries
a lot more cognitive weight than its plain English counterpart, in light of
the ideas treated in Zuse’s piece: calculation, computation of nature, space and/or the universe).”
― Rechnender Raum
ing about Rechnender Raum for the first time (the common translation into
English is Calculating Space but the phrase in his native German carries
a lot more cognitive weight than its plain English counterpart, in light of
the ideas treated in Zuse’s piece: calculation, computation of nature, space and/or the universe).”
― Rechnender Raum
“While considering causality it suddenly occurred to me that the
universe could be conceived as a gigantic computing machine. I
had the relay calculator in mind: relay calculators contain re-
lay chains. When a relay is triggered, the impulse propagates
through the entire chain. The thought went through my head
that this must also be how a quantum of light propagates. The
thought settled firmly; over the years I have developed it into a
concept of the Rechnender Raum, or ‘computing universe’. How-
ever, it was to be another thirty years before I succeeded in for-
mulating the idea correctly.”
― Rechnender Raum
universe could be conceived as a gigantic computing machine. I
had the relay calculator in mind: relay calculators contain re-
lay chains. When a relay is triggered, the impulse propagates
through the entire chain. The thought went through my head
that this must also be how a quantum of light propagates. The
thought settled firmly; over the years I have developed it into a
concept of the Rechnender Raum, or ‘computing universe’. How-
ever, it was to be another thirty years before I succeeded in for-
mulating the idea correctly.”
― Rechnender Raum
“It is interesting that a
pair of isolated pulses yields
a stable system: the emis-
sion of two diverging digital
particles (Fig. 19). Appar-
ently only certain configura-
tions are possible, while oth-
ers are excluded or provide no stable results. This bears a certain similarity
to some situations in quantum mechanics.”
― Rechnender Raum
pair of isolated pulses yields
a stable system: the emis-
sion of two diverging digital
particles (Fig. 19). Appar-
ently only certain configura-
tions are possible, while oth-
ers are excluded or provide no stable results. This bears a certain similarity
to some situations in quantum mechanics.”
― Rechnender Raum
“The author has greatly enjoyed being able to discuss this subject with a
few mathematicians and physicists. The greatest handicap to cooperation is
certainly the difference in terms between the individual, specialized fields of
knowledge. We hope that this chasm will be bridged in time and that through
cybernetics, a true bridge between physics and the automaton theory can be
built.”
― Rechnender Raum
few mathematicians and physicists. The greatest handicap to cooperation is
certainly the difference in terms between the individual, specialized fields of
knowledge. We hope that this chasm will be bridged in time and that through
cybernetics, a true bridge between physics and the automaton theory can be
built.”
― Rechnender Raum
