Released alongside the launch of the Wolfram Physics Project, this book provides a unique opportunity to learn about a historic initiative in science right as it is happening. The Wolfram Physics Project is a bold effort to use breakthrough new ideas and the latest in physics, mathematics and computation to find the fundamental theory of physics, often viewed as the ultimate goal in all of science. Written with Stephen Wolfram's characteristic expositional flair, the book includes both an accessible introduction to the project and its background, as well as core technical documents, and breathtaking visualizations that bring to life a dramatic new understanding of how our universe works.
Contents
Preface
The Announcement:
Finally We May Have a Path to the Fundamental Theory of Physics... and It's Beautiful
I Never Expected This · How It Works · All Possible Rules · What Is Space? · The Dimensionality of Space · Curvature in Space & Einstein's Equations · Time · The Graph of Causal Relationships · The Importance of Causal Invariance · Deriving Special Relativity · What Is Energy? What Is Mass? · General Relativity and Gravity · Black Holes, Singularities, etc. · Cosmology · Elementary Particles--Old and New · The Inevitability of Quantum Mechanics · General Relativity and Quantum Mechanics Are the Same Idea! · Branchial Motion and the Entanglement Horizon · Finding the Ultimate Rule · Why This Universe? The Relativity of Rules · The Challenge of Language Design for the Universe · Let's Go Find the Fundamental Theory!
Technical Introduction:
A Class of Models with the Potential to Represent Fundamental Physics
Introduction · Basic Form of Models · Typical Behaviors · Limiting Behavior and Emergent Geometry · The Updating Process for String Substitution Systems · The Updating Process in Our Models · Equivalence and Computation in Our Models · Potential Relation to Physics · Notes & Further References
History:
How We Got Here: The Backstory of the Wolfram Physics Project
"Someday..." · Why Wasn't This Already Figured Out? · The Beginning of the Story · "You Can't Leave Physics" · Maybe It Could Apply to Physics · "Please Don't Do That Project" · Two Young Physicists and a Little Idea · Oh My Gosh, It's Actually Going to Work! · What Terrible Timing! · What Happens Now
Background:
A New Kind of Science: a 15-Year View (2017)
What Is Spacetime, Really? (2015)
The Foundations:
Fundamental Physics, from A New Kind of Science (2002)
Historical & Technical Notes
Index
Stephen Wolfram has been responsible for several revolutions in science and technology, and is the creator of some of the world's most respected software systems, including Mathematica, Wolfram|Alpha and the Wolfram Language. After receiving his PhD in physics at age 20 and a MacArthur Fellowship at 21, he made a series of groundbreaking discoveries which eventually led to his best-selling book A New Kind of Science. Developing from seeds planted nearly fifty years ago, this book presents for the first time Wolfram's very recent breakthroughs in physics.
