Programming Experimental Procedures for Newtonian Kinematic Machines

  • Authors:
  • E. J. Beggs;J. V. Tucker

  • Affiliations:
  • School of Physical Sciences, Swansea University, Swansea, United Kingdom SA2 8PP;School of Physical Sciences, Swansea University, Swansea, United Kingdom SA2 8PP

  • Venue:
  • CiE '08 Proceedings of the 4th conference on Computability in Europe: Logic and Theory of Algorithms
  • Year:
  • 2008

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Abstract

By experimental computationwe mean the idea of computing a function by experimenting with some physical equipment. To analyse the functions computable by experiment, we are developing a methodology that chooses a precise specification of a physical theory Tand derives precise descriptions of the procedures and equipment the theory allows. As a case study, we choose a fragment Tof Newtonian kinematics and describe a language EP(T), and some of its extensions, for expressing experimental proceduresallowed by T. The languages for experimental procedures are similar to imperative programming languages that express algorithmic procedures. We show that EP(T) can define all functions on the rational numbers that are definable by algorithms.