No dust jacket. Sun tanned spine and top edge. Ex-library book with typical stickers and stampings. Priority Mail is available on this item. No international shipping.

Seller Inventory # D471125AGmug1739148

Contact seller

Report this item

Bibliographic Details

Title: The Computational Beauty of Nature: Computer Explorations of Fractals, Chaos, Complex Systems, and Adaptation
Publisher: Mit Pr
Publication Date: 1998
Language: English
ISBN 10: 0262062003
ISBN 13: 9780262062008
Binding: hardcover
Condition: Fair
Weight: 45 ounces

About this title

Synopsis

Honorable Mention, 1998, category of Computer Science, Professional/Scholarly Publishing Annual Awards Competition presented by the Association of American Publishers, Inc.

"Simulation," writes Gary Flake in his preface, "becomes a form of experimentation in a universe of theories. The primary purpose of this book is to celebrate this fact."

In this book, Gary William Flake develops in depth the simple idea that recurrent rules can produce rich and complicated behaviors. Distinguishing "agents" (e.g., molecules, cells, animals, and species) from their interactions (e.g., chemical reactions, immune system responses, sexual reproduction, and evolution), Flake argues that it is the computational properties of interactions that account for much of what we think of as "beautiful" and "interesting." From this basic thesis, Flake explores what he considers to be today's four most interesting computational topics: fractals, chaos, complex systems, and adaptation.

Each of the book's parts can be read independently, enabling even the casual reader to understand and work with the basic equations and programs. Yet the parts are bound together by the theme of the computer as a laboratory and a metaphor for understanding the universe. The inspired reader will experiment further with the ideas presented to create fractal landscapes, chaotic systems, artificial life forms, genetic algorithms, and artificial neural networks.

About the Author

Gary William Flake is a wandering scholar at the NEC Research Institute in Princeton, New Jersey.

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.

Store Description

We run a General interest bookstore with a focus on popular fiction, Utah and Mormon (LDS) titles, as well as current textbooks.

Visit Seller's Storefront

Seller's business information

BookResQ.
4915 w 4100 s, West Valley City, UT, 84120-4833, U.S.A.

Sale & Shipping Terms

Terms of Sale

Please read the description of our item. Many items cannot be shipped
internationally due to size and weight. International restrictions should be
available in our description.
We guarantee the condition of every book as it's described on the Abebooks web
sites. If you're dissatisfied with your purchase (Incorrect Book/Not as
Described/Damaged) please contact us. If you've changed your mind about a
book that you've ordered, please use the Ask bookseller a question link to
contact us and we'll re...

More Information

Shipping Terms

Orders usually ship within 2 business days. Shipping costs are based on books weighing 2.2 LB, or 1 KG. If your book order is heavy or oversized, we may contact you to let you know extra shipping is required. Many books cannot be shipped to international locations. This will be noted in our description.

Shipping rates within U.S.A.

Shipping rates within U.S.A.
Order quantity	3 to 21 business days	3 to 7 business days
First item	US$ 7.00	US$ 10.00

Delivery times are set by sellers and vary by carrier and location. Orders passing through Customs may face delays and buyers are responsible for any associated duties or fees. Sellers may contact you regarding additional charges to cover any increased costs to ship your items.