Constructor Theory: the science of can and can’t

This talk is online only

The theory of the universal quantum computer has brought us rapid technological developments, together with remarkable improvements in how we understand quentum theory. But what lies ahead of quantum theory, and of the universal quantum computer? To shed some light into these questions we need a shift in the mode of explanation. One can adopt a radically new approach where the fundamental laws are general principles about possible / impossible transformations, rather than laws of motion and initial conditions. This approach is called constructor theory. The Science of Can and Can‘t may be the first step towards the ultimate generalisation of the universal quantum computer, which von Neumann called the “universal constructor”.

Dr Chiara Marletto, Research Fellow, Physics Dept, University of Oxford

Image credit: Angelina Frank