Quantum Teleportation and Computation

[dubyagee]

I find this fascinating even though I have not one hour of education on quantum physics. Sounds to me like they may be getting at how the creator "created" us. But of course, since many deny the creator, they miss this intriguing point.

[lafroste]

If you look at dimensions as if they were coordinate axes in a geometry problem, then you already can see that the location of any point can be uniquely described by its coordinates, (x,y,z). However, a fourth coordinate can be employed to say when it was there. If the object is moving, then its (x,y,z) changes with time, and its position can be fully described by knowing (x,y,z,t).

[Erasmus]

I saw a sign over a bed at an inn in Haigerloch. It said,

"Heisenberg may have slept here."

[TopQuark]

"He was born on December 5, 1901 in Wuzburg, Germany." Can we be sure of that? Yes, because his weight was over five pounds.

[AUgrad]

If you look at dimensions as if they were coordinate axes in a geometry problem, then you already can see that the location of any point can be uniquely described by its coordinates, (x,y,z). However, a fourth coordinate can be employed to say when it was there. If the object is moving, then its (x,y,z) changes with time, and its position can be fully described by knowing (x,y,z,t).

I understand that. It is a simple differential equation. I was trying to apply the fax machine analogy to a quantum equation. If true teleportation was achieved there would be no A' thus the time factor ,wait ,I believe I understand now. The time dimension would not be the problem, the "fifth" dimension would. Wow, my brain hasn't worked this hard in a while.

[TopQuark]

But if I read the answer don't I change it? The answers are immaterial, arn't they?

[Dukie]

The problem IMHO is that all this ignores the essence of what it is to be human, ie. a spirit.

You have summarized it exactly, lafroste. In teleporting and reassembling all of the quanta which constitute a living human being, what happens to the animating spirit - the soul, which dwells within the bodily vessel ? One might ask the same question concerning a more technologically imminent development, a human clone. Is the soul somehow partitioned betweed the two ( or more ) bodies ? Do we somehow even more gravely usurp the Creator's role by claiming to create both body and soul of such new beings ?

[Zon]

Is immortality within our grasp?

Yes. Even before nanotechnology arrives gene therapy and DNA manipulation will be pushing the envelope towards immortality. People in the various related fields measure life expectancy by how many years are added to a persons expected life to the measure of time it takes to achieve the next life-extension breakthrough. That is, a new technique takes two year to develop that adds one year life extension. Eventually, and not that long, perhaps in the next ten years the rate of life extension progress will be be adding years quicker than we age.

For example, say life expectancy is 80 years and next year life expectancy is increased to 82 years via "X" technology. The person has passed beyond the point of every reaching an expected death-date so long as life extension technology continues advancing. So the following year the person is another year older but life-extension technology has pushed life expectancy to 85 years. The person lived one year and during that time gained three expected years of life.

A very important aspect of achieving immortality is being able to store a persons "I-ness" (sense of self-awareness) and all aspects of the mind off site (some sort of specialized database) so that if an accident kills the person not only can the body be brought back to life but the mind will be restored as well.

[Harrison Bergeron]

So! Dr. McCoy was right. According to ST sci fi lore, he was violently opposed to use of the transporter for humans because of the theory that the transported person was destroyed (killed!) and a new person created in their place - raising questions regarding the very existence of the human soul.

[Justa]

You wrote this? Impressive if so.

[<1/1,000,000th%]

polarization is the electrical charge of the photon

Just for fun I thought I'd point out that polarization is the orientation of the electric and magnetic fields that make up the photon.

Good post! I don't think I would've attempted this.

[dubyagee]

A very important aspect of achieving immortality is being able to store a persons "I-ness" (sense of self-awareness) and all aspects of the mind off site (some sort of specialized database) so that if an accident kills the person not only can the body be brought back to life but the mind will be restored as well.

To be technical/NOT....that is truly sci-fi mind-blowing....

[Harrison Bergeron]

"Few will take the time to read something that doesn't interest them."

Nonsense. You obviously haven't been around here long. Threads like these have been known to grow enormous and linger for weeks.

[Zon]

The problem IMHO is that all this ignores the essence of what it is to be human, ie. a spirit. How can a physical process, no matter how sophisticated, act on that which is not subject to physical law? At this point, science and philosophy will have to be reconciled (in other words, it is still a long way off).

This was written in response to biologic immortality and also has application to teleportation. -- A very important aspect of achieving immortality is being able to store a persons "I-ness" (sense of self-awareness) and all aspects of the mind off site (some sort of specialized database) so that if an accident kills the person not only can the body be brought back to life but the mind will be restored as well.

As for it being "still a long way off", consider this: One hundred years ago it didn't seem that any one could conceive of the Internet, but here it is. With the always ascending technology curve, time to meaningful technology advancements shrinks.

Nanotechnology should arrive in fifteen to twenty years. In thirty years it will be in nearly every industry plus industries not yet known. 

[Zon]

I find this fascinating even though I have not one hour of education on quantum physics. Sounds to me like they may be getting at how the creator "created" us. But of course, since many deny the creator, they miss this intriguing point.

Not I. But now is not the time or place for me to engage in that discussion. Perhaps latter.

[Harrison Bergeron]

"With the always ascending technology curve time to meaningful technology advancements shrinks."

Good analogy. It paints a picture of a technology horizon that we can't see over, but can eventually reach.

[Father Wu]

Time is the fourth dimension, according to Eintstein.

[AUgrad]

"Few will take the time to read something that doesn't interest them."

Nonsense. You obviously haven't been around here long. Threads like these have been known to grow enormous and linger for weeks.

I already apologized for my mistaken remarks, however, do you think this thread is occupied by posters who aren't interested in this topic?

[sixmil]

One interesting place that nano-tech will be is medicine. Consider gradually replacing human neurons with engineered replacements that don't wear out or die. When the process is complete, do you have a human brain analog that lasts (effectively) forever? Is imortality within our grasp? (except for the "Hey ya'll, watch this" crowd)

The biotech industry will need such a computer to do DNA analysis and research. Also, they will be able to run biochemical simulations which will make the discovery and development of drugs much quicker and safer. It will be something like the 777, which was designed and tested entirely on a computer before it was ever built, or the current supercomputer simulations we do for our nuclear weapons arsenal. Imagine being able to know how a protein, enzyme, or some other molecule is going to behave in the body before even starting the FDA trials.