Future tech

A question about the growth of technology. How far away do you think we are from being able to load a computer with all our scientific knowledge, theories, and assumptions and ask What if and how to scenarios? What I mean is, software that can design hardware based on what we already know, or software that create its own theories in physics, math, and such. I think it would be very possible within 50-100 years. I was watching FutureCars and such and it got me thinking, if our computers get that much more powerful, what could it accomplish? Imagine a computer that's able to create it's own theory of Unification, or a computer that can design better processors, hard drives, Ram, Video cards, etc. Or Engineering cures to any ailment, eliminating aging and disease. A computer that can design anti-gravity engines, inertial dampening, shields, Cold Fusion, Near Perfect Solar Panels, etc. (It would have to pioneer the way to get to the point where we could build the devices, I'm sure) I'm eager to read what everyone else thinks, would this even be possible? (I have heard that some of this is possible to some degree (or even in practice), but not to the extent that I'm talking about. And with Quantum computers on there way in a matter of years..)

Edit, I changed the title to something that seems a little bit more appropriate


[edit on 1-3-2007 by DemonicAngelZero]

Heh, this reminded me of those star trek episodes where they ask the computer what they should do... why ask the computer every time, give it control of the damn ship, it seems to know better than you do.

Granted this is a ways off, but it is theoretically possible for a computer to create a simulation of events and give you a plausible outcome... however the chaos theory may have some arguments against a perfect solution to the problem you propose to the computer.