{"product_id":"9780965053242","title":"Computation and the Future of the Human Condition","description":"\u003cp\u003eStephen Wolfram is the creator of Mathematica and Wolfram|Alpha and the author of \u003cem\u003eA New Kind of Science\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eAn Elementary Introduction to the Wolfram Language\u003c\/em\u003e. In this short ebook, Dr. Wolfram dives into his theories of computation and the universe. \u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eTake a look at this short excerpt from the ebook \u003cem\u003eComputation and the Future of the Human Condition\u003c\/em\u003e: \u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cblockquote\u003e \u003cp\u003e“In traditional engineering, one starts with some purpose in mind, then explicitly tries to construct a system that achieves that purpose.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eAnd typically at each step one insists on foreseeing what the system will do.\u003cbr\u003e With the result that the system must always be quite computationally reducible.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eBut in the computational universe there are lots of systems that aren’t computationally reducible.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eSo can we use these systems for technology?\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eThe answer is absolutely yes.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eSometimes we look at the systems and realize that there’s some purpose for which they can be used.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eBut more often, we first identify a purpose, and then start searching the computational universe for systems that can achieve that purpose.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eThings like this have been done a little in traditional engineering—even, say, with\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eEdison searching for his light-bulb filaments.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eBut it’s vastly more efficient and streamlined in the computational universe.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003c\/blockquote\u003e","brand":"Wolfram Media, Inc.","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47120167600368,"sku":"9780965053242","price":1.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9780965053242_p0.jpg?v=1763874927","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9780965053242","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}