Re: Can you find anything wrong with this solution to the Halting Problem?

From: Peter Olcott (olcott_at_worldnet.att.net)
Date: 07/16/04 

Date: Fri, 16 Jul 2004 12:14:44 GMT

> Indeed. And in the definition of the original problem the use of
> non-pseudo RNG (and protected memory, too) by the halting function are
> also prohibited.

The original problem does not prohibit these, they are just considered
moot. The original problem did not predict that these could make
a difference.

> This is because the halting problem is only interesting
> if the halting function has access to the same features as the programs
> of which it has to decide whether they halt.

That is simply not true. The conclusion of the original problem was
that it is completely impossible to always be able to correctly
determine whether or not any other Turing Machine would halt,
regardless of any possible means to do so. The determination of
this was only framed within the context of a Turing Machine because
it was considered equivalent to every other possible computer.

> You have really two options:
>
> (1) Disallow non-pseudo RNG for *both* the halting function and the
> counter example. (This is the preferred option.) This makes your halting
> function invalid.

I see you have not looked at the updated version of my proof.
I don't even bother to mention the hardware RNG any more.
http://home.att.net/~olcott/halts.html

> groente
> -- Sander
>

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