Category-theoretic framework asks: when does a physical system actually compute?
neurovium · x · 2026-11-12
Nima Dehghani shares a thread introducing his "Physical Computing" theory, companion to a Journal of Physics: Complexity paper with Gianluca Caterina.
Key points:
- Classical CS runs one direction: computable function → model of computation (Turing machines, lambda calculus) → physical device;
- Physical, biological, and unconventional computing often run the reverse: given a physical system, determine when it computes at all;
- The framework uses category theory to formalize physical/biological computation, computational closure, compositionality, recurrence, and multiscale dynamics.
Includes an overview video and a full companion blog post for readers interested in unconventional computation theory.
Related event: Categorical Framework Defines When Physical Systems Compute(2 posts)→
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