The quest to understand life has always been a topic of profound discussion. This pursuit dates back to the sixth century B.C.E., when ancient philosophers such as Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle inspired a series of dialogues on logic, ethics, poetry, myth, politics, physics, and metaphysics, known as the Trivium and the Quadrivium. These perspectives influenced philosophers worldwide to explore the nature of life and its underlying reality.
The very existence of humans, with their biological makeup—including the brain, the mind, and the ability to register and process information leading to comprehension—reveals that the capabilities of the human mind are far more advanced than we often perceive.
This advancement is temporally as well as spatially transcendental. The power of our understanding of philosophy and science, of cognition and behaviors, has constantly been expanding the Universe within and without, throughout the timeline of human history!
Moreover, modern man has aced the age of Technology. The word technology has its roots in the early 17th century, from the Greek word tekhnologia, tekhnē: ‘art, craft’; -logia: logy/logical study of a certain subject. Hence, the art and research of logic used to design scientific knowledge in practical ways is technology.
However, the fundamental unit of technology remains the Logic. The Age of Information has brought down the computer and information supremacy. The development of the first electronic computers was in the mid-20th century. By the late-20th century, the world witnessed the introduction of Quantum Physics. And now in the mid-20s of the 21st century, we are witnessing the expansion in human understanding through the lens of quantum physics.
The concept of subatomic particles and their interaction provides an approachable notion that has the potential to be in unison with logic, ethics, physics, and metaphysical explanations of Human Existence.
With Quantum Physics at our disposition, we are stepping into an era of Quantum Computing.
From bits to Qubits, this is the beginning of a new way of Computing!
Richard P. Feynman said,
“If you think you understand quantum physics, you don’t understand quantum physics.”
Quantum Computers are capable of taking advantage of Quantum Mechanical phenomena to compute complex problems that classical computers or even supercomputers cannot solve quickly enough. They use specialized technology which includes computer hardware and algorithms which utilize principles of quantum theory to compute the output.
Unlike classical computers that use bits to represent either a 0 or a 1, quantum computers utilize quantum bits, or qubits, which can exist in a superposition of both 0 and 1 simultaneously. This unique property of qubits allows quantum computers to perform certain calculations much faster than classical computers.
The Three Quantum Concepts:
Qubits: Qubits are the quantum computing version of bits — the 0s and 1s at the core of classical computing. They have quantum mechanical properties. Qubits are where all the magic happens in quantum computing.
Superposition: Qubit works differently than bits— if they point UP i.e., |0>. If they point DOWN i.e., |1>. However, they have another option: to be in a superposition state. A qubit can hold an undefined value that is neither 0 nor 1 until the qubit is measured. The capability to hold multiple values at once is called superposition.
A superposition state is in the combination states of |0> and|1>, when measured, the qubit ends up being either |0> or |1> but it depends on probability which is set by the direction of the arrow of the qubit on the Bloch sphere.
Entanglement: Bits are independent of each other in a classical computer. However, the quantum computer allows qubits to be entangled with each other, becoming part of one large quantum state together.
For instance, two qubits, not yet entangled, each in different superposition states. Their probabilities are currently independent of each other. On entanglement, the probability of independent qubits is redefined by taking a probability distribution of all the possible states we can get out of them making them no longer in an independent state but rather a part of a larger state!
A quantum computer of N- qubits can be in combination with 2N states.
Tunneling: A quantum mechanical particle can instantaneously move from one place to another, even if there’s a barrier in between. (Quantum computing uses this capability to bypass barriers to the best possible solution.) This behavior is referred to as tunneling.
Coherence: A quantum particle, such as an electron, that is free of outside disturbance is coherent. Only coherent particles can exhibit superposition and entanglement.
Interference: A qubit is described by Wavefunction, which is an abstract, fundamental, mathematical description of everything in quantum mechanics. Many qubits, entangled together, their wavefunction added together, into the overall wavefunction which describes the states of quantum computer. This adding together of the wavefunction is interference.
It is these properties of a Quantum Computer that make it different from a regular classical computer.
In quantum computing, spin is a property of particles that can be used as a basis for qubits.
Spin is an intrinsic property of particles such as electrons and protons, and it describes the angular momentum of the particle around its axis. By manipulating the spin of individual particles, quantum computers can perform calculations that are not possible with classical computers.
Quantum computing is a rapidly growing field that combines principles from quantum mechanics and computer science to perform calculations that are beyond the capabilities of classical computers.
Its applications will open doors not only to an enormous shift in the understanding of Human existence but also to the Universe, and many more!
It holds immense potential across various industries such as:
Drug Discovery: The simulation of complex molecules, can accelerate the designing of new drugs and materials for targeted drug delivery. It can speed up the development of life-saving medications!
Materials Science: Simulation of materials at the atomic level has a prospective which leads to stronger, lighter, and more efficient materials for everything from airplanes to solar panels.
Financial Modeling: Quantum computers can analyze vast financial data to uncover hidden patterns and optimize investment strategies, potentially leading to more informed financial decisions.
Logistics and Optimization: Complex delivery routes and resource allocation problems can be tackled more efficiently, optimizing processes and saving companies time and money.
Machine Learning: Quantum machine learning algorithms have the potential to solve intricate problems in areas like weather forecasting and pattern recognition, leading to more accurate predictions and improved decision-making.
Quantum Computing is rapidly evolving, while it is still in its early stage. Companies like IBM, Google, and Microsoft are at the forefront of quantum computing research, while applications span various domains, from healthcare to finance. Quantum computing's potential is as enigmatic as the spinning coin, but its impact promises to be profound.
The future of Quantum Computing is very promising and has the potential to unlock the doors of complex metaphysical concepts such as Consciousness, Unconscious, and Logic, connecting us to ancient philosophical studies, the Trivium and the Quadrivium.
