I can imagine situations which would make it impractical to not use a quantum computer for at least parts of the emulation. Shor’s alogorithm is an example of how quantum computers can fundamentally be more efficient then classical computers. If our brain uses quantum algorithms with fundamental advantages over the classical analog, then it could be impractical to use classical computers alone for emulation due to the exponential increase in computation time required.
I unable to assign a probability with confidence for this case. So I unconfidently assign a low probability for our brain using quantum algorithm that make it impractical to emulate with out quantum computers. A high probability to finding organisms that take advantage of quantum mechanics to a higher degree then a bird for navigation and plants for photosynthesis. This is due the ability to leverage quantum mechanics has evolved at least twice for very different purposes.
The question is not whether “quantum computers can fundamentally be more efficient then classical computers”, but if quantum mechanical entanglement can be used by the brain, which seems to be improbable.
I asked a professor of biophysics about this issues, he knew about the result concerning photosynthesis and was pretty sure that QM does not matter for simulating the brain.
I was trying to express in my post that the extra efficiency gained from a switch to quantum computers only matters when it makes the simulation practical rather impractical with the current resources. This transition would only happen if the brain used quantum algorithms with a fundamental advantage over classical computing, which I assigned a low probability to. Meaning that a QM computer would probably not be necessary.
It sounds like we agree in conclusion but are failing to comunicate some details or disagree on some details.
I can imagine situations which would make it impractical to not use a quantum computer for at least parts of the emulation. Shor’s alogorithm is an example of how quantum computers can fundamentally be more efficient then classical computers. If our brain uses quantum algorithms with fundamental advantages over the classical analog, then it could be impractical to use classical computers alone for emulation due to the exponential increase in computation time required.
I unable to assign a probability with confidence for this case. So I unconfidently assign a low probability for our brain using quantum algorithm that make it impractical to emulate with out quantum computers. A high probability to finding organisms that take advantage of quantum mechanics to a higher degree then a bird for navigation and plants for photosynthesis. This is due the ability to leverage quantum mechanics has evolved at least twice for very different purposes.
The question is not whether “quantum computers can fundamentally be more efficient then classical computers”, but if quantum mechanical entanglement can be used by the brain, which seems to be improbable. I asked a professor of biophysics about this issues, he knew about the result concerning photosynthesis and was pretty sure that QM does not matter for simulating the brain.
I was trying to express in my post that the extra efficiency gained from a switch to quantum computers only matters when it makes the simulation practical rather impractical with the current resources. This transition would only happen if the brain used quantum algorithms with a fundamental advantage over classical computing, which I assigned a low probability to. Meaning that a QM computer would probably not be necessary.
It sounds like we agree in conclusion but are failing to comunicate some details or disagree on some details.