Modeling Reality: How Computers Mirror Life

E-Book Overview

The bookModeling Reality covers a wide range of fascinating subjects, accessible to anyone who wants to learn about the use of computer modeling to solve a diverse range of problems, but who does not possess a specialized training in mathematics or computer science. The material presented is pitched at the level of high-school graduates, even though it covers some advanced topics (cellular automata, Shannon's measure of information, deterministic chaos, fractals, game theory, neural networks, genetic algorithms, and Turing machines). These advanced topics are explained in terms of well known simple concepts: Cellular automata - Game of Life, Shannon's formula - Game of twenty questions, Game theory - Television quiz, etc. The book is unique in explaining in a straightforward, yet complete, fashion many important ideas, related to various models of reality and their applications. Twenty-five programs, written especially for this book, are provided on an accompanying CD. They greatly enhance its pedagogical value and make learning of even the more complex topics an enjoyable pleasure.

E-Book Content

Modeling Reality This page intentionally left blank Modeling Reality How Computers Mirror Life Iwo Białynicki-Birula Center for Theoretical Physics, Warsaw, Poland Iwona Białynicka-Birula Galileo Galilei School, University of Pisa, Italy 1 3 Great Clarendon Street, Oxford OX2 6DP Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University’s objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide in Oxford New York Auckland Bangkok Buenos Aires Cape Town Chennai Dar es Salaam Delhi Hong Kong Istanbul Karachi Kolkata Kuala Lumpur Madrid Melbourne Mexico City Mumbai Nairobi São Paulo Shanghai Taipei Tokyo Toronto Oxford is a registered trade mark of Oxford University Press in the UK and in certain other countries Published in the United States by Oxford University Press Inc., New York © Oxford University Press 2004 The moral rights of the author have been asserted Database right Oxford University Press (maker) First published 2004 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of Oxford University Press, or as expressly permitted by law, or under terms agreed with the appropriate reprographics rights organization. Enquiries concerning reproduction outside the scope of the above should be sent to the Rights Department, Oxford University Press, at the address above You must not circulate this book in any other binding or cover and you must impose this same condition on any acquirer A catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Białynicki-Birula, Iwo. Modeling reality : how computers mirror life / Iwo Białynicki-Birula, Iwona Białynicki-Birula. p. cm. Includes index. ISBN 0-19-853100-1 (alk. paper) 1. Reality. 2. Life. 3. Physics—Philosophy. I. Białynicka-Birula, Iwona. II. Title. QC6.4.R42B53 2004 530 . 01—dc22 2004018291 ISBN 0 19 853100 1 (hbk) 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Typeset by Newgen Imaging Systems (P) Ltd., Chennai, India. Printed in Great Britain on acid-free paper by Biddles Ltd., King’s Lynn We dedicate this book to Zofia Białynicka-Birula This page intentionally left blank Preface This book originated from a series of lectures delivered by the first author at the Warsaw School of Social Psychology and at Warsaw University over the last six years. The purpose of these lectures was to give a very broad overview of various aspects of modeling for a mixed audience, from students of mathematics, computer science, and physics to students of biology and social sciences. Consideri
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