Chapter 2: The Crucial Experiment

how do simple programs behave

gives a basic introduction to simple 1D CA.

Says that rule 30's mid line passes all known algorithm of for randomness.

Shows that rule 110's has amazing random/organized behavior.

the need for a new intuition. p39↗

2 page non-tech commentary on why simple program creating complexity is counter-intuitive thus it needs a new intuition for its development.

why these discoveries were not made before p42↗

non-tech commentary on why “simple program creating complexity” is not discovered before. Summary: (1) computers are not there. (2) the intuition isn't developed. (3) for post 1900 studies (prime distribution, digits of Pi, nested systems, recreation math), traditional math accustomed people to focused on searching for regularity, and thus the possibility of systematic investigation of simple programs/system's behaviors is not developed.

© 2007 by Xah Lee.
Xah Signet