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Grading Trudeau on quantum computing

scottaaronson.com

81–90 of 128 posts

Re: Grading Trudeau on quantum computing

#81

Jesus... I was hoping atleast HN wouldn't give Trudeau a press blowjob. I'm from Canada and he is the most incompetent PM we've ever had. If you want to know what the future has for Canada with him as PM, look no further than the most indebted sub-sovereign in the world: Ontario. These guys are corrupt as fuck

I don't think you can reasonably make a assessment of "most incompetent prime minister ever" when he's been in office for less than six months.

Re: Grading Trudeau on quantum computing

#82

I think the take-away here is not what so much what PM Trudeau knows or doesn't know about quantum computing. It reveals how low our expectations are of our leaders.

I don't know for sure, but I think it is reasonable to assume Jimmy Carter knows a fair bit about quantum mechanics.

And I’m sure Angela Merkel knows something about Quantum Mechanics as well – her doctoral thesis is about it.

Re: Grading Trudeau on quantum computing

#83
post #73

Jonathan Blow tweeted about this last night - I particularly agree with him about how everyone ridiculed the old politician who said the Internet was a "series of pipes", but here everyone is praising the young, hot Trudeau for his knowledge of quantum computing when really the two display a similar level of basic understanding about that subject. In any case, it's not about the politicians' knowledge - it's not Trud…

Well, here's the original Steven's quote. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f99PcP0aFNE He was mocked more at the time for the email bit, namely the idea that the reason why he didn't get his email for 4 days was because of people streaming videos on the internet. However, it's not clear that he had a good understanding of the analogy himself (I'm sure that revisionists like Mr. Blow, who do understand how the internet…

>Given this, it's really not clear at all what "it's not a truck, it's a series of tubes" is supposed to clarify.

I always assumed that was distinguishing between "quantized" and continuous network systems. That is, adding one more load to a truck ("just dump"ing something on it), one more person to a bus, doesn't make the roads any more congested, but trying to send one more gallon of water through a pipe system will slow it down or add to the queue length.

The internet, then, is more like the latter, in that every piece of information carries some opportunity cost to sending, rather than being a bunch of trucks with spare, underutilized capacity.

Re: Grading Trudeau on quantum computing

#84
post #6

Even if Trudeau learned the definition the morning of, it speaks well of his background in engineering and math that he was able to assimilate such information and reformulate it coherently. Presenting a technical subject at just the right level of sophistication for a given audience is an invigorating intellectual exercise.

Honestly I would not be very surprised if Mr. Trudeau's PR team pulled it off.

Re: Grading Trudeau on quantum computing

#85
post #2

Someone on FB speculated that it was a trick just for this video: > the person asking the question probably works for Trudeau and Trudeau had previously memorized the whole quantum explanation just for this video. and after reading an article about this claimed that: > Trudeau had actually learned the definition of quantum computing that very morning before this conference and admitted to the fact. Source: https://ww…

> Someone on FB speculated that it was a trick just for this video: > > the person asking the question probably works for Trudeau and Trudeau had previously memorized the whole quantum explanation just for this video. The question was asked by a pool reporter from The Canadian Press (that's not a generic description, it's the name of a private news organization). > and after reading an article about this claimed that…

The problem is that he didn't learn enough to explain it to a fellow layman. He gave the impression that quantum computing is about storing more complicated bits so you can make a smaller computer.

Re: Grading Trudeau on quantum computing

#86
post #77

Trudeau did complete two years of engineering at a decent school and worked as a math teacher. While we don't know if he was prepped or regurgitated a paragraph, he probably has the faculties and interest to have a general understanding of what he was talking about. Oftentimes it's easier to actually learn something than to cheat convincingly.

I can't seem to find much information with regards to his time studying engineering at Montreal. One article (albeit, the Toronto Sun so take it with a grain of salt) claims he dropped out. And I can't find anything that mentions what type of engineering he studied. It does seem a bit strange to go from studying English Literature, to becoming a teacher, to suddenly studying engineering before switching to environmen…

Is that strange? I switched from radiology to music composition to business to computer science.

Re: Grading Trudeau on quantum computing

#87

To me, he's sending a huge message that science is valued, not denied. And it's inspiring, which I think is one of the PM's jobs. So what's the reporter's next question? "When will Canada start dropping quantum bombs on ISIL?" =(

> To me, he's sending a huge message that science is valued

I find it surreal that such a thing needs to be done, as if science has not proven its worth time and time again, but here we are.

Re: Grading Trudeau on quantum computing

#88

I think the take-away here is not what so much what PM Trudeau knows or doesn't know about quantum computing. It reveals how low our expectations are of our leaders.

Imagine for a second that your roles were reversed and you were the politician who knew a lot about science, engineering and technology. Now it's your job to lead a nation, one of the worlds leading armed forces (yes Canada knows how to fight) and are responsible for trade policies that Impact all your constituents. Suddenly a terror group in > bombs a mall. How much do you know about the ethnic groups in > and what…

Like politicians know how to handle terrorists attack or something else. They have good or bad advisers. Politicians are usually lawyers, economists or engineers. The important thing is to be smart.

Re: Grading Trudeau on quantum computing

#89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The US Naval Academy has a pretty good science program, and (IIRC) during Carter's era, all midshipmen were trained as engineers first, with the requisite science background, including (presumably) what QM was known in 1946. Moreover, as a nuke officer during that era he was personally vetted by Adm. Hyman Rickover, who had placed legendarily[0] high demands on the intellect, technical skill, moral integrity, and ing…

Rickover was promoted to the rank of vice admiral in 1958, the same year that he was awarded the first of two Congressional Gold Medals. Rickover exercised tight control for the next three decades over the ships, technology, and personnel of the nuclear Navy, interviewing and approving or denying every prospective officer being considered for a nuclear ship. Adm. Rickover [0] certainly set the standard with personal…

http://www.airpower.maxwell.af.mil/airchronicles/aureview/19...

Re: Grading Trudeau on quantum computing

#90

I think the take-away here is not what so much what PM Trudeau knows or doesn't know about quantum computing. It reveals how low our expectations are of our leaders.

Imagine for a second that your roles were reversed and you were the politician who knew a lot about science, engineering and technology. Now it's your job to lead a nation, one of the worlds leading armed forces (yes Canada knows how to fight) and are responsible for trade policies that Impact all your constituents. Suddenly a terror group in > bombs a mall. How much do you know about the ethnic groups in > and what…

Sounds like a non-issue. How many of today's "policy heads" would know anything about the situation on the ground of that hypothetical nation? I personally think anybody with sufficient STEM background has a higher chance of assimilating and interpreting policy knowledge than pure policy-heads.

You'll find plenty of Physics students with whom you can have an advanced policy or philosophy discussion, but I've never met a Policy or Philosophy student with any Physics knowledge.

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