1. Fundamental Physics Wolfram vs. Einstein, Podolsky, Rosen, Bell, Schrödinger, Bohr, Heisenberg, Planck, Born, Minkowski, Schwarzschild, Misner, Thorne, Wheeler, … or

2. Aren’t they cute when they try to understand quantum physics? A Few Simple Constraints

3. Aren’t they cute when they try to understand quantum physics? It’s all in the definition…

4. Aren’t they cute when they try to understand quantum physics? Wolfram’s Alternatives Cellular Automota Networks Multidimensional Substitution Systems Mobile Automota Multiway Systems

5. Aren’t they cute when they try to understand quantum physics? Thermodynamics The first law of thermodynamics says you can’t win. (Conservation of mass-energy) The second law says you can’t even break even. (Entropy can never decrease  reversible processes must have no change in entropy)

6. Aren’t they cute when they try to understand quantum physics? Wolfram Inconsistencies Demands an explanation for why the 2 nd law of thermodynamics must be true, but is willing to accept 1 st law. Will discard cellular automata that violate reversibility, but not those that violate the 2 nd law.

7. Aren’t they cute when they try to understand quantum physics? Conserved Quantities Demonstrates systems that conserve various features. Cellular automata should only be considered models – conserved quantities can be considered mass-energy, 4-momentum, lepton number, etc. (Electron number is not conserved!) Does not demonstrate systems that conserve more than one feature at a time, e.g., mass-energy and 4-momentum.

8. Aren’t they cute when they try to understand quantum physics? Nature of Space Do not confuse Wolfram’s constraint to only consider systems with three connections with Wolfram claiming that these are the only systems possible.

9. Aren’t they cute when they try to understand quantum physics? Relationship of Space and Time If universe is really a mobile automata, we do not need to invoke a master clock to keep track of time. Each node sees changes since last visit as happening simultaneously. This predicts significantly different results than special relativity, but it’s only one example!

10. Aren’t they cute when they try to understand quantum physics? Sequencing of Events Considers several type of substitution systems. –First substitution: the first possible substitution is used. –All substitution: all possible substitutions are used. –Random substitution: of all possible substitutions, one is chosen at random. What does random mean in this context?

11. Aren’t they cute when they try to understand quantum physics? Sequencing of Events Investigates rules where differing orders of replacement do not produce different causal networks to deal with lack of a global clock. These rules also have a concept of simultaneity that differs from special relativity.

12. Aren’t they cute when they try to understand quantum physics? Uniqueness and Branching in Time Wolfram’s multiway system almost matches the many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics. More paths leading to a state increase the number of universes experiencing that state.

13. Aren’t they cute when they try to understand quantum physics? Evolution of Networks Uses a LRU algorithm Addresses tie-breaking conflicts by examining rules that are order independent

14. Aren’t they cute when they try to understand quantum physics? Space, Time and Relativity Fundamental concept of relativity is that the universe can be divided into five sections, relative to an event –Time-like past –Light-like past –Space-like –Light-like future –Time-like future

15. Aren’t they cute when they try to understand quantum physics? Space, Time and Relativity Wolfram’s causal networks divide the universe into three sections, relative to an event –Events that caused this event (directly or indirectly) –Events that are independent of this event (might have common causes or effects) –Events caused by this event (directly or indirectly)

16. Aren’t they cute when they try to understand quantum physics? Space, Time and Relativity Nearby means events that can be reached in a small number of hops –If one considers something a meter away to be nearby, then small means ≤ 10 35 –If two events separated by a second to be nearby, then small means ≤ 10 43 EPR pairs might then be considered to have a wormhole between them! (This is not the typical interpretation.)

17. Aren’t they cute when they try to understand quantum physics? Space, Time and Relativity An approximate definition of relative simultaneity can be constructed by: 1.Picking an event that simultaneity will be defined relative to. (Event A) 2.Choosing an event far in the future of event A. (Event B) 3.Finding all events that are the same number of hops from event B as event A. These events approximate simultaneity relative to event A. None of these events can cause or be caused by A. As event B approaches an infinite number of hops from event A, this approximation approaches true relative simultaneity.

18. Aren’t they cute when they try to understand quantum physics? Elementary Particles Hand-waving and resorting to authority –Provides some very high-level interesting concepts, but shows no way of exploring them – even in the notes –Mentions lots of technical details that have been derived by others, seemingly to imply that all of them can be explained by his model

19. Aren’t they cute when they try to understand quantum physics? Gravity Discusses several possible geometries, but mainly more hand waving –Still resorts to tensors in the notes –Does have the consistent effect that his elementary particle postulates would naturally imply distortion of space-time

20. Aren’t they cute when they try to understand quantum physics? Quantum Phenomena Suggests that quantum phenomena are deterministic In order to explain basic results, seems to contradict hand-waving on elementary particles

21. Aren’t they cute when they try to understand quantum physics? EPR Pairs His solution to EPR pairs seems to involve a virtual wormhole between pairs – this violates the standard theory which suggests that no information can be communicated “faster than light” with these pairs

22. Aren’t they cute when they try to understand quantum physics? Bell’s Inequalities Seems to believe that experiments violating Bell’s inequalities are flawed Closely related to quantum computing