New Kinds of Science
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== Science and the Universe == | == Science and the Universe == | ||
| - | '''Science''' is an enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the world. Traditionally we use mathematics to explain the physical world, which means theorems, equations | + | '''Science''' is an enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the world. Traditionally we use mathematics to explain the physical world, which means theorems, equations, formulas and calculation. So there is a physical universe, and a mathematical universe, and both can be connected in a meaningful way with each other. |
| - | Yet there are some open questions: why are there any [[Theorem|theorem]]s at all? How can we explain social systems? [[Social system|Social systems]] are part of the physical world, but their form their own universe which is much harder to explain, because it is very complex. It does not contains spherical objects with identical properties, but individual, unique agents which act in unpredictable ways. | + | Yet there are some open questions: why are there any [[Theorem|theorem]]s at all? Could we use computation instead calculation as well? How can we explain social systems? [[Social system|Social systems]] are part of the physical world, but their form their own universe which is much harder to explain, because it is very complex. It does not contains spherical objects with identical properties, but individual, unique agents which act in unpredictable ways. |
New technology can result in new kinds of models and metaphors. During the course of time, the universe has been is compared with a giant clock, a giant machine, a giant computer.. | New technology can result in new kinds of models and metaphors. During the course of time, the universe has been is compared with a giant clock, a giant machine, a giant computer.. | ||
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Some of the gold nuggets have already been found: for example the classical algorithms in computer science for sorting and searching etc., the basic fractals, L-systems and of course cellular automata. In the area of distributed computing, we have discovered big signs saying "It is impossible to find any nuggets here" (for example the FLP theorem), which is quite disappointing. | Some of the gold nuggets have already been found: for example the classical algorithms in computer science for sorting and searching etc., the basic fractals, L-systems and of course cellular automata. In the area of distributed computing, we have discovered big signs saying "It is impossible to find any nuggets here" (for example the FLP theorem), which is quite disappointing. | ||
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| + | A coherent theory of computation for "distributed systems" | ||
| + | - or something like the principles of distributed computing - | ||
| + | is still missing. Traditional computation is associated with calculation: | ||
| + | arithmetic functions, serial algorithms, detailed instructions, | ||
| + | and sequential operations. Computation in distributed | ||
| + | systems such as Cellular Automata and Agent-Based Systems | ||
| + | is much more complex. A theory or "calculus" for these systems | ||
| + | would be desirable. It is unclear what can be computed at all | ||
| + | with these systems (what kind of computation would this be?), | ||
| + | what forms and types exist in general (have we found already | ||
| + | the basic types?), and how they are connected. | ||
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| + | The [http://atlas.wolfram.com/ Wolfram Atlas of Simple Programs] | ||
| + | is certainly a first step to explore the computational universe. | ||
| + | One of Stephen Wolfram's claims in his controversial book | ||
| + | "A New Kind of Science" is that the nature of computation | ||
| + | must be explored experimentally. | ||
== Wolfram's New Kind of Science == | == Wolfram's New Kind of Science == | ||
