06-01-2025 21:42 via science.slashdot.org

Why Computer Scientists Consult Oracles

Computer scientists are using hypothetical devices called "oracles" to advance the field of computational complexity theory, exploring fundamental questions about problem-solving difficulty. These theoretical tools, which instantly provide correct yes-or-no answers to specific questions, help researchers understand relationships between different classes of computational problems.
Oracles have proved particularly valuable in studying quantum computing, leading to breakthroughs like Peter Shor's
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