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This long-awaited work from one of the world's most respected
scientists presents a series of dramatic discoveries never before made public.
Starting from a collection of simple computer experiments -- illustrated in the
book by striking computer graphics -- Stephen Wolfram shows how their unexpected
results force a whole new way of looking at the operation of the universe.
Wolfram uses his approach to tackle a remarkable array of fundamental
problems in science, from the origins of apparent randomness in physical systems,
to the development of complexity in biology, the ultimate scope and limitations
of mathematics, the possibility of a truly fundamental theory of physics, the
interplay between free will and determinism, and the character of intelligence
in the universe. Written with exceptional clarity, and
illustrated by nearly a thousand original pictures, this seminal book allows scientists
and non-scientists alike to participate in what promises to be a major intellectual
revolution. Stephen Wolfram was born in London and
educated at Eton, Oxford, and Caltech. He received his Ph.D. in theoretical physics
in 1979 at the age of 20, having already made lasting contributions to particle
physics and cosmology. In 1981 his work was recognized by a MacArthur award. In
the early 1980s he made a series of classic discoveries about systems known as
cellular automata, which have yielded many new insights in physics, mathematics,
computer science, biology and other fields. In 1986 he founded Wolfram Research,
Inc. and began the creation of Mathematica, now the world's leading software
system for technical computing and symbolic programming, and the tool that made
A New Kind of Science possible. Over the past decade Wolfram has divided his time
between the leadership of his company and his pursuit of basic science.
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