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William Poundstone
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The Recursive Universe: Cosmic Complexity and the Limits of Scientific Knowledge (Dover Books on Science) Paperback – June 19, 2013

by WIlliam Poundstone (Author)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 52 ratings
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No winners, no losers, and no end — the Game of Life, also known simply as Life, is no ordinary computer game. Created by British mathematician John Horton Conway in 1970, Life debuted in Scientific American, where it was hailed as the key to a new area of mathematical research, the field of cellular automata. Less of a game than a demonstration of logical possibilities, Life is based on simple rules and produces patterns of light and dark on computer screens that reflect the unpredictability, complexity, and beauty of the universe.
This fascinating popular science journey explores Life's relationship to concepts in information theory, explaining the application of natural law to random systems and demonstrating the necessity of limits. Other topics include the paradox of complexity, Maxwell's demon, Big Bang theory, and much more. Written in the 1980s by a bestselling author, the book remains up to date in its treatment of timeless aspects of physics, including the ways in which complex forms and behavior governed by simple laws can appear to arise spontaneously under random conditions.

About the Author

Bestselling author William Poundstone studied physics at MIT as a National Merit Scholar. He has written eleven books and numerous articles for The New York Times, Village Voice, Esquire, Harper's, Harvard Business Review, and other publications.
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  1. Print length
    254 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Dover Publications
  4. Publication date
    June 19, 2013
  5. Dimensions
    6.1 x 0.6 x 9.1 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    048649098X
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0486490984
  8. See all details
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The Recursive Universe: Cosmic Complexity and the Limits of Scientific Knowledge (Dover Books on Science)
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Dover Publications; Reprint edition (June 19, 2013)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 254 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 048649098X
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0486490984
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 11.8 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.1 x 0.6 x 9.1 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 52 ratings

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William Poundstone

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William Poundstone is the author of two previous Hill and Wang books: Fortune's Formula and Gaming the Vote.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
52 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Patrick Regan
5.0 out of 5 stars uses the game of life to illustrate timeless aspects of physics
Reviewed in the United States on September 12, 2007
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7 people found this helpful
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Peter D. McLoughlin
4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable introduction to Complexity but a little out of date.
Reviewed in the United States on September 13, 2013
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3 people found this helpful
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DL
5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome book
Reviewed in the United States on August 23, 2014
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4 people found this helpful
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Francisco
4.0 out of 5 stars Chaos: Complexity from simplicity
Reviewed in the United States on February 8, 2015
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One person found this helpful
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C M Sanyk
5.0 out of 5 stars One of my favorite reads of all time.
Reviewed in the United States on July 10, 2015
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3 people found this helpful
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Ghassan Ayesh
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant, profound
Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2018
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One person found this helpful
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DN
5.0 out of 5 stars Good book, good seller
Reviewed in the United States on July 19, 2013
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Gary Dameron
2.0 out of 5 stars Not Poundstone Quality
Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2016
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6 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Peter
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 4, 2020
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