- #1
droog
- 23
- 0
Is it true to say "computers only do what we tell them to"? If we write any program and we know all the inputs then surely we ought to be able to predict the outputs so long as we know all initial states (including the seed in any pseudo random generator as well as the generator taps).
If we introduce a real random element (like the input devices based on thermal noise) then it's pretty obvious that programs could be written that didn't produce predictable outputs e.g. PRINT get_random_from_hardware()
...I want to know if there's an algorithmic equivalent to this.
(mods: I couldn't decide between computers or maths so I plumped for philosophy to ask this. please move if its a problem here.)
If we introduce a real random element (like the input devices based on thermal noise) then it's pretty obvious that programs could be written that didn't produce predictable outputs e.g. PRINT get_random_from_hardware()
...I want to know if there's an algorithmic equivalent to this.
(mods: I couldn't decide between computers or maths so I plumped for philosophy to ask this. please move if its a problem here.)