Definability as hypercomputational effect

Abstract

The classical simulation of physical processes using standard models of computation is fraught with problems. On the other hand, attempts at modelling real-world computation with the aim of isolating its hypercomputational content have struggled to convince. We argue that a better basic understanding can be achieved through computability theoretic deconstruction of those physical phenomena most resistant to classical simulation. From this we may be able to better assess whether the hypercomputational enterprise is proleptic computer science, or of mainly philosophical interest.