Davidmanheim comments on Causal Universes - Less Wrong

60 Post author: Eliezer_Yudkowsky 29 November 2012 04:08AM

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Comment author: Davidmanheim 30 November 2012 12:30:13AM 1 point [-]

But if the computer simulating operates in an acausal universe, the limitations on complexity we see in our causal-universe computers may not hold, and so the point may be self-defeating.

Comment author: FeepingCreature 30 November 2012 11:07:05PM *  0 points [-]

Finding that acausal universe still requires computational resources equivalent to (at least) traditional causality. It just moves the problem outwards. (If I understand this right)

Comment author: Davidmanheim 03 December 2012 08:47:13PM 2 points [-]

No. My point is that computational complexity as understood in this universe depends on causality. Without causality, the logic falls apart.

If a universe is acausal, there could, potentially, be O(0) algorithms for basically anything. (I can just input a condition that terminates only if the answer is correct, and have the answer immediately based on the fact that it worked.) If so, the simulation could be instantaneous, and therefore any simulation would have the same cost.

Comment author: FeepingCreature 03 December 2012 09:09:55PM *  1 point [-]

My point is that it's not very useful to know that a universe exists, if we don't have a method for locating it in configuration space - and that method would eat the costs of causality, even if the universe itself doesn't. Like in the GAZP.