New Paper Proposes Closure Criterion for Autonomous Physical Computation

neurovium · x · 2026-07-30

Nima Dehghani's new paper explores when physical systems can achieve genuine autonomous computation. The research points out that while physical reservoirs, neuromorphic devices, and biological systems possess properties like memory and feedback, these alone do not equate to computation.

Using the 'wave-particle walker' as a model, the author separates physical processes into writing, storage, reading, and erasure. The paper proposes a categorical closure criterion: autonomous computation requires that an internal physical readout state selects the next physical operation. This framework provides a theoretical basis for distinguishing between simple memory mechanisms and true Turing-like autonomous computation.

Related event: New Framework and Criteria for Physical Computing Proposed(4 posts)→

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