Concept Taxonomy
Categories for organizing the 241 concepts in the Skeptic's Guide to Quantum Computing learning graph.
Categories
FOUND — Foundations
TaxonomyID: FOUND
Basic concepts that provide minimal technical context. Just enough quantum mechanics and computing to understand why the barriers exist. Not a physics course — a primer for non-technical readers.
BARR — Physics Barriers
TaxonomyID: BARR
Concepts explaining why quantum computing faces fundamental physics obstacles, not just engineering challenges. Includes decoherence, error correction overhead, cryogenic requirements, and hardware scaling limits.
HARD — Hardware Platforms
TaxonomyID: HARD
The competing hardware approaches and why none of them have solved the fundamental problems. Framed as a comparison, not as technical deep dives.
ALGO — Algorithms and Claims
TaxonomyID: ALGO
The key algorithms cited to justify quantum computing investment, and the gap between theoretical promise and demonstrated reality.
HIST — History and Timeline
TaxonomyID: HIST
The detailed chronology of quantum computing from 1981 to present, emphasizing the pattern of missed predictions and broken promises.
HYPE — Hype and Optimistic Claims
TaxonomyID: HYPE
Documented examples of overly optimistic claims, media amplification, moving goalposts, and parallels to other technology hype cycles.
CRYP — Cryptography Threat
TaxonomyID: CRYP
The specific claim that quantum computers will break encryption, why this is overstated, and how post-quantum cryptography is already addressing it.
ECON — Economics and Investment
TaxonomyID: ECON
Financial analysis of quantum computing investment, including ROI frameworks, revenue model problems, cost analysis, and specific company case studies.
TECH — Technology Assessment
TaxonomyID: TECH
Frameworks for evaluating technology maturity and adoption, including TRL, hype cycles, adoption curves, and historical base rates of failure.
GPT — General Purpose Technology
TaxonomyID: GPT
Analysis of what makes a technology broadly transformative and why quantum computing fails every test for being a General Purpose Technology.
BIAS — Cognitive Biases
TaxonomyID: BIAS
The psychological biases that sustain investment in quantum computing despite absent returns. Directly applicable to investment decision-making.
SYST — Systems Thinking
TaxonomyID: SYST
Causal loop diagrams and systems dynamics models showing why quantum computing investment perpetuates itself through reinforcing feedback loops.
SKEP — Expert Skeptics
TaxonomyID: SKEP
Prominent physicists and mathematicians who argue quantum computing cannot work, and the incentive asymmetry between skeptics and proponents.
ETHI — Ethics and Careers
TaxonomyID: ETHI
Ethical questions about recruiting students, career risks, professor conflicts of interest, and fiduciary responsibilities of investors.
ALT — Better Alternatives
TaxonomyID: ALT
Quantum sensing, quantum communication, classical AI hardware, and other investments with better risk-adjusted returns.
PARA — Historical Parallels
TaxonomyID: PARA
Successful and failed physics-based technology investments that provide comparative lessons for evaluating quantum computing.
BREAK — Breakthroughs Required
TaxonomyID: BREAK
The 10+ simultaneous physics breakthroughs required for economic viability, and the joint probability analysis showing how unlikely they are together.
CRIT — Critical Thinking
TaxonomyID: CRIT
Practical tools for evaluating technology claims: hype detection checklists, press release analysis, base rate reasoning, and Bayesian thinking.
APPLY — Practical Application
TaxonomyID: APPLY
Capstone skills: writing executive briefs, conducting red team analyses, evaluating pitch decks, and making better technology investment decisions.