CINXE.COM

Note (a) for General Notes: A New Kind of Science | Online by Stephen Wolfram [Page 855]

<!doctype html> <html lang="en" class="notes text-version"> <head> <!-- begin framework head en --> <meta http-equiv="x-ua-compatible" content="ie=edge"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"> <meta charset="utf-8"> <title>Note (a) for General Notes: A New Kind of Science | Online by Stephen Wolfram [Page 855]</title> <meta name="description" content="Educational issues The new kind of science in this book represents a unique educational opportunity. For it touches an immense r... – from A New Kind of Science"> <link rel="alternate" hreflang="en" href="https://www.wolframscience.com/nks/index.en.php"> <meta property="og:image" content="http://www.wolframscience.com/share.png"> <meta property="og:url" content="https://www.wolframscience.com/nks/notes-0-1--educational-issues/"> <meta property="og:type" content="website"> <meta property="og:title" content="Note (a) for General Notes: A New Kind of Science | Online by Stephen Wolfram [Page 855]"> <meta property="og:description" content="Educational issues The new kind of science in this book represents a unique educational opportunity. For it touches an immense r... – from A New Kind of Science"> <meta property="og:locale" content="en"> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"> <meta name="twitter:site" content="@WolframResearch"> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Note (a) for General Notes: A New Kind of Science | Online by Stephen Wolfram [Page 855]"> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Educational issues The new kind of science in this book represents a unique educational opportunity. For it touches an immense r... – from A New Kind of Science"> <meta name="twitter:image:src" content="http://www.wolframscience.com/share.png"> <link rel="canonical" href="https://www.wolframscience.com/nks/notes-0-1--educational-issues/"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/common/framework/css/framework.en.css"> <script src="//www.wolframcdn.com/consent/cookie-consent.js"></script> <script src="/common/javascript/wal/latest/walLoad.js"></script> <script defer src="/common/js/announcements/script.js"></script> <script src="/common/framework/js/head.en.js"></script> <script src="/common/js/jquery/3.7.1/jquery.min.js"></script> <script src="/common/js/jquery/plugins/migrate/3.5.2/jquery.migrate.min.js"></script> <script src="/common/javascript/analytics.js"></script> <!-- end framework head en --> <link rel="stylesheet" href="//www.wolframcdn.com/fonts/source-sans-pro/1.0/global.css"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="//www.wolframcdn.com/fonts/pt-serif/1.0/all.css"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="//www.wolframcdn.com/fonts/mathematica/1.0/all.css"> <!-- new --> <link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com"> <link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.gstatic.com" crossorigin> <link href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Crimson+Text:ital@0;1&display=swap" rel="stylesheet"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://use.typekit.net/hod7dyh.css"> <!-- end new --> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/common/js/clipboard/2.0/clipboard.css"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/nks/css/c2c.en.css"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/nks/css/shared.en.css"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/nks/css/notes.en.css"> </head> <body> <!-- begin framework header en --> <!-- end framework header en --> <!--header.en.php--> <header id="header"> <div class="table width-full height-full"> <div class="heirs-vertical-align-m"> <div class="padding-lr-1"> <h1><a href="/nks/"><img src="/nks/img/a-new-kind-of-science-logo.png" alt="Stephen Wolfram's A New Kind of Science | Online" width="372" height="43" class="fill"></a></h1> </div> <div class="padding-r-1"> <nav id="nav" class="table"> <div class="nav-main heirs-vertical-align-t"> <div class="size-picker"> <i class="icon"></i> <ul> <li class="size-auto checked"><span>auto</span></li> <li class="size-small"><span>small</span></li> <li class="size-medium"><span>medium</span></li> <li class="size-large"><span>large</span></li> <li class="size-x-large"><span>x-large</span></li> </ul> </div> <div class="search"> <div><i class="icon"></i></div> </div> <div class="toc"> <div><a href="/nks/"><i class="icon"></i></a></div> </div> <div class="breadcrumbs"> <div> <span class="notes"><a href="/nks/notes-for-chapters/">Notes</a></span> <span class="chapter"><a href="/nks/chap-0--general-notes--notes/">Chapter 0</a></span> <span class="section"><a href="/nks/sect-0-1--general-notes--notes/">Section 0</a></span> <span class="page"><a href="/nks/p855">Page 855</a></span> </div> </div> </div> <div class="nav-burger"> <div> <div class="hamburger"><i class="icon"></i></div> </div> <div class="burger-nav-l1"> <div id="top-stuff"> <div class="crumb-wrap-supreme"> <div> <span class="toc"><a href="/nks/"><i class="icon"></i></a></span> </div> </div> <div class="size-picker"> <div><i class="icon"></i></div> </div> <ul class="size-pickings"> <li class="size-auto checked"><span>auto</span></li> <li class="size-small"><span>small</span></li> <li class="size-medium"><span>medium</span></li> <li class="size-large"><span>large</span></li> <li class="size-x-large"><span>x-large</span></li> </ul> </div> <ul class="chapters"> <li class="chapter preface"> <a href="/nks/pix--preface/"> <span></span> <span>Preface</span> </a> </li> <li class="chapter chapter-1"> <a href="/nks/chap-1--the-foundations-for-a-new-kind-of-science/"> <span>1</span> <span>The Foundations for a New Kind of Science</span> </a> <ul class="sections"> <li class="section section-1"> <a href="/nks/p1--an-outline-of-basic-ideas/"> <span>1</span> <span>An Outline of Basic Ideas</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-2"> <a href="/nks/p7--relations-to-other-areas/"> <span>2</span> <span>Relations to Other Areas</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-3"> <a href="/nks/p12--some-past-initiatives/"> <span>3</span> <span>Some Past Initiatives</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-4"> <a href="/nks/p17--the-personal-story-of-the-science-in-this-book/"> <span>4</span> <span>The Personal Story of the Science in This Book</span> </a> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="chapter chapter-2"> <a href="/nks/chap-2--the-crucial-experiment/"> <span>2</span> <span>The Crucial Experiment</span> </a> <ul class="sections"> <li class="section section-1"> <a href="/nks/p23--how-do-simple-programs-behave/"> <span>1</span> <span>How Do Simple Programs Behave?</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-2"> <a href="/nks/p39--the-need-for-a-new-intuition/"> <span>2</span> <span>The Need for a New Intuition</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-3"> <a href="/nks/p42--why-these-discoveries-were-not-made-before/"> <span>3</span> <span>Why These Discoveries Were Not Made Before</span> </a> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="chapter chapter-3"> <a href="/nks/chap-3--the-world-of-simple-programs/"> <span>3</span> <span>The World of Simple Programs</span> </a> <ul class="sections"> <li class="section section-1"> <a href="/nks/p51--the-search-for-general-features/"> <span>1</span> <span>The Search for General Features</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-2"> <a href="/nks/p53--more-cellular-automata/"> <span>2</span> <span>More Cellular Automata</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-3"> <a href="/nks/p71--mobile-automata/"> <span>3</span> <span>Mobile Automata</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-4"> <a href="/nks/p78--turing-machines/"> <span>4</span> <span>Turing Machines</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-5"> <a href="/nks/p82--substitution-systems/"> <span>5</span> <span>Substitution Systems</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-6"> <a href="/nks/p88--sequential-substitution-systems/"> <span>6</span> <span>Sequential Substitution Systems</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-7"> <a href="/nks/p93--tag-systems/"> <span>7</span> <span>Tag Systems</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-8"> <a href="/nks/p95--cyclic-tag-systems/"> <span>8</span> <span>Cyclic Tag Systems</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-9"> <a href="/nks/p97--register-machines/"> <span>9</span> <span>Register Machines</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-10"> <a href="/nks/p102--symbolic-systems/"> <span>10</span> <span>Symbolic Systems</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-11"> <a href="/nks/p105--some-conclusions/"> <span>11</span> <span>Some Conclusions</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-12"> <a href="/nks/p108--how-the-discoveries-in-this-chapter-were-made/"> <span>12</span> <span>How the Discoveries in This Chapter Were Made</span> </a> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="chapter chapter-4"> <a href="/nks/chap-4--systems-based-on-numbers/"> <span>4</span> <span>Systems Based on Numbers</span> </a> <ul class="sections"> <li class="section section-1"> <a href="/nks/p115--the-notion-of-numbers/"> <span>1</span> <span>The Notion of Numbers</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-2"> <a href="/nks/p117--elementary-arithmetic/"> <span>2</span> <span>Elementary Arithmetic</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-3"> <a href="/nks/p128--recursive-sequences/"> <span>3</span> <span>Recursive Sequences</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-4"> <a href="/nks/p132--the-sequence-of-primes/"> <span>4</span> <span>The Sequence of Primes</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-5"> <a href="/nks/p136--mathematical-constants/"> <span>5</span> <span>Mathematical Constants</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-6"> <a href="/nks/p145--mathematical-functions/"> <span>6</span> <span>Mathematical Functions</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-7"> <a href="/nks/p149--iterated-maps-and-the-chaos-phenomenon/"> <span>7</span> <span>Iterated Maps and the Chaos Phenomenon</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-8"> <a href="/nks/p155--continuous-cellular-automata/"> <span>8</span> <span>Continuous Cellular Automata</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-9"> <a href="/nks/p161--partial-differential-equations/"> <span>9</span> <span>Partial Differential Equations</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-10"> <a href="/nks/p167--continuous-versus-discrete-systems/"> <span>10</span> <span>Continuous Versus Discrete Systems</span> </a> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="chapter chapter-5"> <a href="/nks/chap-5--two-dimensions-and-beyond/"> <span>5</span> <span>Two Dimensions and Beyond</span> </a> <ul class="sections"> <li class="section section-1"> <a href="/nks/p169--introduction/"> <span>1</span> <span>Introduction</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-2"> <a href="/nks/p170--cellular-automata/"> <span>2</span> <span>Cellular Automata</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-3"> <a href="/nks/p184--turing-machines/"> <span>3</span> <span>Turing Machines</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-4"> <a href="/nks/p187--substitution-systems-and-fractals/"> <span>4</span> <span>Substitution Systems and Fractals</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-5"> <a href="/nks/p193--network-systems/"> <span>5</span> <span>Network Systems</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-6"> <a href="/nks/p204--multiway-systems/"> <span>6</span> <span>Multiway Systems</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-7"> <a href="/nks/p210--systems-based-on-constraints/"> <span>7</span> <span>Systems Based on Constraints</span> </a> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="chapter chapter-6"> <a href="/nks/chap-6--starting-from-randomness/"> <span>6</span> <span>Starting from Randomness</span> </a> <ul class="sections"> <li class="section section-1"> <a href="/nks/p223--the-emergence-of-order/"> <span>1</span> <span>The Emergence of Order</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-2"> <a href="/nks/p231--four-classes-of-behavior/"> <span>2</span> <span>Four Classes of Behavior</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-3"> <a href="/nks/p250--sensitivity-to-initial-conditions/"> <span>3</span> <span>Sensitivity to Initial Conditions</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-4"> <a href="/nks/p255--systems-of-limited-size-and-class-2-behavior/"> <span>4</span> <span>Systems of Limited Size and Class 2 Behavior</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-5"> <a href="/nks/p261--randomness-in-class-3-systems/"> <span>5</span> <span>Randomness in Class 3 Systems</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-6"> <a href="/nks/p266--special-initial-conditions/"> <span>6</span> <span>Special Initial Conditions</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-7"> <a href="/nks/p275--the-notion-of-attractors/"> <span>7</span> <span>The Notion of Attractors</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-8"> <a href="/nks/p281--structures-in-class-4-systems/"> <span>8</span> <span>Structures in Class 4 Systems</span> </a> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="chapter chapter-7"> <a href="/nks/chap-7--mechanisms-in-programs-and-nature/"> <span>7</span> <span>Mechanisms in Programs and Nature</span> </a> <ul class="sections"> <li class="section section-1"> <a href="/nks/p297--universality-of-behavior/"> <span>1</span> <span>Universality of Behavior</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-2"> <a href="/nks/p299--three-mechanisms-for-randomness/"> <span>2</span> <span>Three Mechanisms for Randomness</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-3"> <a href="/nks/p301--randomness-from-the-environment/"> <span>3</span> <span>Randomness from the Environment</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-4"> <a href="/nks/p304--chaos-theory-and-randomness-from-initial-conditions/"> <span>4</span> <span>Chaos Theory and Randomness from Initial Conditions</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-5"> <a href="/nks/p315--the-intrinsic-generation-of-randomness/"> <span>5</span> <span>The Intrinsic Generation of Randomness</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-6"> <a href="/nks/p327--the-phenomenon-of-continuity/"> <span>6</span> <span>The Phenomenon of Continuity</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-7"> <a href="/nks/p337--origins-of-discreteness/"> <span>7</span> <span>Origins of Discreteness</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-8"> <a href="/nks/p342--the-problem-of-satisfying-constraints/"> <span>8</span> <span>The Problem of Satisfying Constraints</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-9"> <a href="/nks/p351--origins-of-simple-behavior/"> <span>9</span> <span>Origins of Simple Behavior</span> </a> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="chapter chapter-8"> <a href="/nks/chap-8--implications-for-everyday-systems/"> <span>8</span> <span>Implications for Everyday Systems</span> </a> <ul class="sections"> <li class="section section-1"> <a href="/nks/p363--issues-of-modelling/"> <span>1</span> <span>Issues of Modelling</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-2"> <a href="/nks/p369--the-growth-of-crystals/"> <span>2</span> <span>The Growth of Crystals</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-3"> <a href="/nks/p374--the-breaking-of-materials/"> <span>3</span> <span>The Breaking of Materials</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-4"> <a href="/nks/p376--fluid-flow/"> <span>4</span> <span>Fluid Flow</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-5"> <a href="/nks/p383--fundamental-issues-in-biology/"> <span>5</span> <span>Fundamental Issues in Biology</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-6"> <a href="/nks/p400--growth-of-plants-and-animals/"> <span>6</span> <span>Growth of Plants and Animals</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-7"> <a href="/nks/p422--biological-pigmentation-patterns/"> <span>7</span> <span>Biological Pigmentation Patterns</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-8"> <a href="/nks/p429--financial-systems/"> <span>8</span> <span>Financial Systems</span> </a> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="chapter chapter-9"> <a href="/nks/chap-9--fundamental-physics/"> <span>9</span> <span>Fundamental Physics</span> </a> <ul class="sections"> <li class="section section-1"> <a href="/nks/p433--the-problems-of-physics/"> <span>1</span> <span>The Problems of Physics</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-2"> <a href="/nks/p435--the-notion-of-reversibility/"> <span>2</span> <span>The Notion of Reversibility</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-3"> <a href="/nks/p441--irreversibility-and-the-second-law-of-thermodynamics/"> <span>3</span> <span>Irreversibility and the Second Law of Thermodynamics</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-4"> <a href="/nks/p458--conserved-quantities-and-continuum-phenomena/"> <span>4</span> <span>Conserved Quantities and Continuum Phenomena</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-5"> <a href="/nks/p465--ultimate-models-for-the-universe/"> <span>5</span> <span>Ultimate Models for the Universe</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-6"> <a href="/nks/p472--the-nature-of-space/"> <span>6</span> <span>The Nature of Space</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-7"> <a href="/nks/p475--space-as-a-network/"> <span>7</span> <span>Space as a Network</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-8"> <a href="/nks/p481--the-relationship-of-space-and-time/"> <span>8</span> <span>The Relationship of Space and Time</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-9"> <a href="/nks/p486--time-and-causal-networks/"> <span>9</span> <span>Time and Causal Networks</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-10"> <a href="/nks/p497--the-sequencing-of-events-in-the-universe/"> <span>10</span> <span>The Sequencing of Events in the Universe</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-11"> <a href="/nks/p504--uniqueness-and-branching-in-time/"> <span>11</span> <span>Uniqueness and Branching in Time</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-12"> <a href="/nks/p508--evolution-of-networks/"> <span>12</span> <span>Evolution of Networks</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-13"> <a href="/nks/p516--space-time-and-relativity/"> <span>13</span> <span>Space, Time and Relativity</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-14"> <a href="/nks/p525--elementary-particles/"> <span>14</span> <span>Elementary Particles</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-15"> <a href="/nks/p530--the-phenomenon-of-gravity/"> <span>15</span> <span>The Phenomenon of Gravity</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-16"> <a href="/nks/p537--quantum-phenomena/"> <span>16</span> <span>Quantum Phenomena</span> </a> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="chapter chapter-10"> <a href="/nks/chap-10--processes-of-perception-and-analysis/"> <span>10</span> <span>Processes of Perception and Analysis</span> </a> <ul class="sections"> <li class="section section-1"> <a href="/nks/p547--introduction/"> <span>1</span> <span>Introduction</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-2"> <a href="/nks/p548--what-perception-and-analysis-do/"> <span>2</span> <span>What Perception and Analysis Do</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-3"> <a href="/nks/p552--defining-the-notion-of-randomness/"> <span>3</span> <span>Defining the Notion of Randomness</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-4"> <a href="/nks/p557--defining-complexity/"> <span>4</span> <span>Defining Complexity</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-5"> <a href="/nks/p560--data-compression/"> <span>5</span> <span>Data Compression</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-6"> <a href="/nks/p572--irreversible-data-compression/"> <span>6</span> <span>Irreversible Data Compression</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-7"> <a href="/nks/p577--visual-perception/"> <span>7</span> <span>Visual Perception</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-8"> <a href="/nks/p585--auditory-perception/"> <span>8</span> <span>Auditory Perception</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-9"> <a href="/nks/p588--statistical-analysis/"> <span>9</span> <span>Statistical Analysis</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-10"> <a href="/nks/p598--cryptography-and-cryptanalysis/"> <span>10</span> <span>Cryptography and Cryptanalysis</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-11"> <a href="/nks/p606--traditional-mathematics-and-mathematical-formulas/"> <span>11</span> <span>Traditional Mathematics and Mathematical Formulas</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-12"> <a href="/nks/p620--human-thinking/"> <span>12</span> <span>Human Thinking</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-13"> <a href="/nks/p632--higher-forms-of-perception-and-analysis/"> <span>13</span> <span>Higher Forms of Perception and Analysis</span> </a> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="chapter chapter-11"> <a href="/nks/chap-11--the-notion-of-computation/"> <span>11</span> <span>The Notion of Computation</span> </a> <ul class="sections"> <li class="section section-1"> <a href="/nks/p637--computation-as-a-framework/"> <span>1</span> <span>Computation as a Framework</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-2"> <a href="/nks/p638--computations-in-cellular-automata/"> <span>2</span> <span>Computations in Cellular Automata</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-3"> <a href="/nks/p642--the-phenomenon-of-universality/"> <span>3</span> <span>The Phenomenon of Universality</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-4"> <a href="/nks/p644--a-universal-cellular-automaton/"> <span>4</span> <span>A Universal Cellular Automaton</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-5"> <a href="/nks/p656--emulating-other-systems-with-cellular-automata/"> <span>5</span> <span>Emulating Other Systems with Cellular Automata</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-6"> <a href="/nks/p664--emulating-cellular-automata-with-other-systems/"> <span>6</span> <span>Emulating Cellular Automata with Other Systems</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-7"> <a href="/nks/p674--implications-of-universality/"> <span>7</span> <span>Implications of Universality</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-8"> <a href="/nks/p675--the-rule-110-cellular-automaton/"> <span>8</span> <span>The Rule 110 Cellular Automaton</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-9"> <a href="/nks/p690--the-significance-of-universality-in-rule-110/"> <span>9</span> <span>The Significance of Universality in Rule 110</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-10"> <a href="/nks/p691--class-4-behavior-and-universality/"> <span>10</span> <span>Class 4 Behavior and Universality</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-11"> <a href="/nks/p694--the-threshold-of-universality-in-cellular-automata/"> <span>11</span> <span>The Threshold of Universality in Cellular Automata</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-12"> <a href="/nks/p706--universality-in-turing-machines-and-other-systems/"> <span>12</span> <span>Universality in Turing Machines and Other Systems</span> </a> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="chapter chapter-12"> <a href="/nks/chap-12--the-principle-of-computational-equivalence/"> <span>12</span> <span>The Principle of Computational Equivalence</span> </a> <ul class="sections"> <li class="section section-1"> <a href="/nks/p715--basic-framework/"> <span>1</span> <span>Basic Framework</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-2"> <a href="/nks/p716--outline-of-the-principle/"> <span>2</span> <span>Outline of the Principle</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-3"> <a href="/nks/p719--the-content-of-the-principle/"> <span>3</span> <span>The Content of the Principle</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-4"> <a href="/nks/p726--the-validity-of-the-principle/"> <span>4</span> <span>The Validity of the Principle</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-5"> <a href="/nks/p735--explaining-the-phenomenon-of-complexity/"> <span>5</span> <span>Explaining the Phenomenon of Complexity</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-6"> <a href="/nks/p737--computational-irreducibility/"> <span>6</span> <span>Computational Irreducibility</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-7"> <a href="/nks/p750--the-phenomenon-of-free-will/"> <span>7</span> <span>The Phenomenon of Free Will</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-8"> <a href="/nks/p753--undecidability-and-intractability/"> <span>8</span> <span>Undecidability and Intractability</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-9"> <a href="/nks/p772--implications-for-mathematics-and-its-foundations/"> <span>9</span> <span>Implications for Mathematics and Its Foundations</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-10"> <a href="/nks/p822--intelligence-in-the-universe/"> <span>10</span> <span>Intelligence in the Universe</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-11"> <a href="/nks/p840--implications-for-technology/"> <span>11</span> <span>Implications for Technology</span> </a> </li> <li class="section section-12"> <a href="/nks/p844--historical-perspectives/"> <span>12</span> <span>Historical Perspectives</span> </a> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="chapter notes selected"> <a href="/nks/notes-for-chapters/"> <span></span> <span>Notes</span> </a> </li> </ul> <div class="search"> </div> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> </div> <div id="search"> <div class="text-align-c__600"> <div class="inline-grid cols-3 cols-1__600"> <form id="search-index-form" action="/nks/index/"><div><label for="search-index-input">Look up in index</label><input type="search" id="search-index-input" name="search-index-input"></div></form> <form id="search-all-form" action="/nks/search/"><div><label for="search-all-input">Text search</label><input type="search" id="search-all-input" name="search-all-input"></div></form> <form id="search-jump-form"><div><label for="search-jump-input">Jump to page</label><input type="search" id="search-jump-input" name="search-jump-input"></div></form> </div> </div> </div> </header> <!--/header.en.php--> <main id="main"> <div class="wide-wrapper"> <div id="previous"><a href="/nks/notes-0-1--computer-experiments/"><span>‹</span></a></div> <div id="next"><a href="/nks/notes-0-1--reading-this-book/"><span>›</span></a></div> <div id="content" class="wide-padding"> <div class="ribbon-wrapper top"> </div> <h1 class="main-heading">Notes</h1> <h2 class="chapter-heading"><a href="/nks/p849--general-notes/">Chapter 0: <span>General Notes</span></a></h2> <h2 class="section-heading"><a href="/nks/p849--general-notes">Section 0: <span>General Notes</span></a></h2> <hr> <div class="text-content"><p class="notehead">Educational issues</p><p class="notetext">The new kind of science in this book represents a unique educational opportunity. For it touches an immense range of important and compelling everyday phenomena and issues in science, yet to understand its key ideas requires no prior scientific or technical education. So this means that it is potentially realistic to use as the basis for an overall introduction to the ideas of science. And indeed having understood its basic elements, it becomes vastly easier to understand many aspects of traditional science, and to see how they fit into the whole framework of knowledge.</p><p class="notetext">No doubt there will at first be a tendency to follow the progression of scientific history and to present the ideas of this book only at an advanced stage in the educational process, after teaching many aspects of traditional science. But it is fairly clear that it is vastly easier to explain much of what is in this book than to explain many ideas in traditional science. For among other things the new kind of science in this book does not rely on elaborate abstract concepts from traditional mathematics; instead it is based mostly just on pictures, and on ideas that have become increasingly familiar from practical use of computers. And in fact, in my experience, with good presentation, surprisingly young children are able to grasp many key ideas in this book—even if their knowledge of mathematics does not go beyond the simplest operations on numbers.</p><p class="notetext">Over the past fifty or so years traditional mathematics has become a core part of education. And while its more elementary aspects are certainly crucial for everyday modern life, beyond basic algebra its central place in education must presumably be justified more on the basis of promoting overall patterns of thinking than in supplying specific factual knowledge of everyday relevance. But in fact I believe that the basic aspects of the new kind of science in this book in many ways provide more suitable material for general education than traditional mathematics. They involve some of the same kinds of precise thinking, but do not rely on abstract concepts that are potentially very difficult to communicate. And insofar as they involve the development of technical expertise, it is in the direction of computing—which is vastly more relevant to modern life than advanced mathematics.</p><p class="notetext">The new kind of science in this book connects in all sorts of ways with mathematics and the existing sciences—and it can be used at an educational level to place some of the fundamental ideas in these areas in a clearer context. In computer science it can also be used as a rich source of basic examples—much as physics is used as a source of basic examples in traditional mathematics education.</p><p class="notetext">A remarkable feature of the new kind of science in this book is that it makes genuine research accessible to people with almost no specific technical knowledge. For it is almost certain that experiments on, say, some specific cellular automaton whose rule has been picked at random from a large set will never have been done before. To conclude anything interesting from such experiments nevertheless requires certain scientific methodology and judgement—but from an educational point of view this represents a uniquely accessible environment in which to develop such skills.</p><p class="notetext">In many fields, advanced education seems useful only if one intends to pursue those specific fields. But a few fields such as physics are notable for being sources of individuals with broadly applicable skills. I believe that the new kind of science in this book will in time serve a similar role.</p></div> </div> <div class="ribbon-wrapper stripe"> </div> <footer id="footer" class="wide-padding"> <section id="related-pages" class="width-full max-width-900 center"> <h2 class="display-ib">Pages Related to this Note:</h2> <span> <a href="/nks/pix--preface/">ix</a>, <a href="/nks/pxi--preface/">xi</a> </span> <div> <div class="thumbnails cf"> <a href="/nks/pix--preface/"><img src="/nks/pages/pix--preface/image-tiny.png" alt="Page ix" title="Page ix" width="70" height="86"></a> <a href="/nks/pxi--preface/"><img src="/nks/pages/pxi--preface/image-tiny.png" alt="Page xi" title="Page xi" width="70" height="86"></a> </div> </div> </section><br> <section id="related-notes" class="width-full max-width-900 center"> <h2>Other Notes From Page <a href="/nks/p855">855</a>:</h2> <div> <div class="thumbnails cf"> </div> <ul class="cols-2 cols-1__600 heirs-width-full__600 show-thumbnails"> <li><span><a href="/nks/notes-0-1--learning-the-new-kind-of-science/"><span><img src="/nks/img/thumbnails/notes-0-1--learning-the-new-kind-of-science--textonly.png" alt="" width="76" height="62"></span><span>Learning the new kind of science</span></a></span></li> <li><span><a href="/nks/notes-0-1--reading-this-book/"><span><img src="/nks/img/thumbnails/notes-0-1--reading-this-book--textonly.png" alt="" width="76" height="62"></span><span>Reading this book</span></a></span></li> </ul> </div> </section> <section id="image-sources" class="width-full max-width-900 center hide"> <hr class="even"> <h2>Image Source Notebooks:</h2> <div> <ul class="grid cols-2 width-full cols-1__600 heirs-width-full__600"> </section> <section id="related-resources" class="width-full max-width-900" style="display: none;"> <hr class="even"> <h2>External Resources Related to this Page:</h2> <div> <ul class="grid cols-2 width-full heirs-width-1-2 cols-1__600 heirs-width-full__600"> </ul> </div> </section> <!--footer.en.php--> <footer id="inline-footer"> <div class="heirs-display-ib heirs-margin-bt-1-2__600 heirs-display-b__600"> <div> <a href="/nks/sect-0-1--general-notes--notes/" class="view-notes mini-t"> <span><img src="/nks/img/icon-notes.png" alt="" width="8" height="8"></span> <span>All notes for this section</span> </a> </div> <div> <a href="/nks/programs/" class="programs-link mini-t"> <span><img src="/nks/img/icon-download.png" alt="" width="11" height="13"></span> <span>Download programs</span> </a> </div> <div> <span class="pdf-link mini-t"> <span><img src="/nks/img/icon-pdf.png" alt="" width="10" height="13"></span> <span>Show PDF</span> <span class="tooltip"> <span class="close">✖</span> <a href="https://files.wolframcdn.com/pub/www.wolframscience.com/nks/nks-nts-ch0.pdf" class="chapter">Show Chapter Notes</a><br> <a href="https://files.wolframcdn.com/pub/www.wolframscience.com/nks/nks-notes.pdf" class="all">Show All Notes</a> </span> </span> </div> </div> </footer> <!--book-ldjson.en.php--> <script type="application/ld+json"> { "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "Book", "name": "A New Kind of Science", "description": "Starting from a collection of simple computer experiments Stephen Wolfram shows how their unexpected results force a whole new way of looking at the operation of our universe. Wolfram uses his approach to tackle a remarkable array of fundamental problems in science, from the origins of apparent randomness in physical systems, to the development of complexity in biology, the ultimate scope and limitations of mathematics, the possibility of a truly fundamental theory of physics, the interplay between free will and determinism, and the character of intelligence in the universe.", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Stephen Wolfram" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Corporation", "name": "Wolfram Media, Inc.", "url": "http://www.wolfram-media.com/" }, "isbn": "1-57955-008-8", "datePublished": "2002", "numberOfPages": "1197", "bookFormat": "print, online, iPad", "genre": "Science, Cellular Automata, Computation, Biology, Physics", "audience": "Scientists, Researchers, Science Educators, Biologists, Physicists, Mathematicians, Programmers", "discussionUrl": "http://community.wolfram.com/content?curTag=wolfram%20science", "inLanguage": "en" } </script> <!--/book-ldjson.en.php--> <!--/footer.en.php--> </footer> <!--footer-citation.en.php--> <footer id="citation"> <p>From Stephen Wolfram: <em>A New Kind of Science</em> [<a href="/nks/citation/">citation</a>] &nbsp; <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/" target="_blank"> <svg id="icon-cc-by-sa" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 110 32"> <g transform="translate(76 0)"> <path d="M15.7,0.9c4.2,0,7.7,1.5,10.7,4.4c2.9,2.9,4.4,6.4,4.4,10.6c0,4.2-1.4,7.7-4.3,10.6c-3,3-6.6,4.4-10.7,4.4 c-4.1,0-7.6-1.5-10.6-4.4C2.2,23.5,0.7,20,0.7,15.9c0-4.1,1.5-7.6,4.4-10.6C8.1,2.3,11.6,0.9,15.7,0.9z M15.8,3.6 c-3.4,0-6.3,1.2-8.7,3.6c-2.4,2.5-3.7,5.4-3.7,8.7c0,3.3,1.2,6.2,3.6,8.6c2.4,2.4,5.3,3.6,8.7,3.6c3.3,0,6.2-1.2,8.7-3.7 c2.4-2.3,3.5-5.2,3.5-8.6c0-3.4-1.2-6.3-3.6-8.7C22.1,4.8,19.2,3.6,15.8,3.6z M9.1,13.8c0.3-1.8,1-3.3,2.2-4.3 c1.2-1,2.7-1.5,4.4-1.5c2.4,0,4.2,0.8,5.6,2.3s2.1,3.5,2.1,5.8c0,2.3-0.7,4.2-2.2,5.7c-1.4,1.5-3.3,2.3-5.6,2.3 c-1.7,0-3.2-0.5-4.4-1.5c-1.2-1-2-2.5-2.2-4.3h3.8c0.1,1.8,1.2,2.7,3.3,2.7c1.1,0,1.9-0.5,2.5-1.4c0.6-0.9,1-2.1,1-3.6 c0-1.6-0.3-2.8-0.9-3.6c-0.6-0.8-1.4-1.2-2.5-1.2c-2,0-3.1,0.9-3.4,2.7h1.1l-3,3l-3-3L9.1,13.8L9.1,13.8z" fill="currentColor"></path> </g> <g transform="translate(5 0)"> <path d="M59.4,5.2c-2.9-2.9-6.4-4.3-10.7-4.3c-4.1,0-7.7,1.4-10.6,4.3c-2.9,3-4.4,6.6-4.4,10.7s1.5,7.6,4.4,10.6 c3,2.9,6.5,4.4,10.6,4.4c4.1,0,7.7-1.5,10.7-4.5c2.9-2.8,4.3-6.3,4.3-10.5C63.7,11.7,62.3,8.1,59.4,5.2z M57.5,24.5 c-2.5,2.4-5.4,3.7-8.7,3.7c-3.4,0-6.2-1.2-8.7-3.6c-2.4-2.4-3.6-5.3-3.6-8.6c0-3.3,1.2-6.2,3.7-8.7c2.4-2.4,5.2-3.6,8.7-3.6 c3.4,0,6.3,1.2,8.7,3.6c2.4,2.4,3.6,5.3,3.6,8.7C61.1,19.3,59.9,22.2,57.5,24.5z" fill="currentColor"></path> <path d="M46.7,8.3c0-1.4,0.7-2.1,2.1-2.1s2.1,0.7,2.1,2.1c0,1.4-0.7,2.1-2.1,2.1C47.3,10.4,46.7,9.7,46.7,8.3z" fill="currentColor"></path> <path d="M52.8,18.3h-1.7v7.3h-4.7v-7.3h-1.7c0,0,0-4.1,0-6.1c0-0.6,0.4-1,1-1c2,0,4,0,6,0c0.6,0,1,0.4,1,1 C52.8,14.2,52.8,18.3,52.8,18.3z" fill="currentColor"></path> </g> <g id="cc-logo"> <path d="M15.7,0.9c4.2,0,7.8,1.5,10.7,4.4c1.4,1.4,2.5,3,3.2,4.8c0.7,1.8,1.1,3.7,1.1,5.8c0,2.1-0.4,4-1.1,5.8 c-0.7,1.8-1.8,3.4-3.2,4.8c-1.4,1.4-3.1,2.6-5,3.3c-1.8,0.8-3.8,1.2-5.8,1.2c-2,0-3.9-0.4-5.7-1.1c-1.8-0.8-3.5-1.9-4.9-3.3 c-1.4-1.4-2.5-3.1-3.3-4.9c-0.8-1.8-1.1-3.7-1.1-5.7c0-2,0.4-3.9,1.1-5.7c0.8-1.8,1.9-3.5,3.3-4.9C8,2.3,11.6,0.9,15.7,0.9z M15.8,3.6c-3.4,0-6.3,1.2-8.7,3.6C6,8.3,5,9.7,4.4,11.2c-0.6,1.5-1,3.1-0.9,4.7c0,1.6,0.3,3.2,0.9,4.6C5,22,6,23.4,7.1,24.5 c1.1,1.1,2.5,2.1,4,2.7c1.5,0.6,3,0.9,4.7,0.9c1.6,0,3.2-0.3,4.7-0.9c1.5-0.6,2.9-1.6,4.1-2.7c2.3-2.3,3.5-5.2,3.5-8.6 c0-1.7-0.3-3.2-0.9-4.7c-0.6-1.5-1.5-2.8-2.7-4C22.1,4.8,19.2,3.6,15.8,3.6z M15.6,13.4l-2,1c-0.2-0.4-0.5-0.8-0.8-0.9 c-0.3-0.2-0.6-0.3-0.9-0.3c-1.3,0-2,0.9-2,2.7c0,0.8,0.2,1.4,0.5,1.9c0.3,0.5,0.8,0.7,1.5,0.7c0.9,0,1.5-0.4,1.9-1.3l1.8,0.9 c-0.4,0.7-0.9,1.3-1.6,1.7c-0.7,0.4-1.5,0.6-2.3,0.6c-1.3,0-2.4-0.4-3.2-1.2c-0.8-0.8-1.2-2-1.2-3.4c0-1.4,0.4-2.6,1.2-3.4 c0.8-0.8,1.9-1.3,3.1-1.3C13.4,11.2,14.8,11.9,15.6,13.4L15.6,13.4z M24.2,13.4l-2,1c-0.2-0.4-0.5-0.8-0.8-0.9 c-0.3-0.2-0.6-0.3-0.9-0.3c-1.3,0-2,0.9-2,2.7c0,0.8,0.2,1.4,0.5,1.9c0.3,0.5,0.8,0.7,1.5,0.7c0.9,0,1.5-0.4,1.8-1.3l1.9,0.9 c-0.4,0.7-1,1.3-1.7,1.7c-0.7,0.4-1.5,0.6-2.3,0.6c-1.4,0-2.4-0.4-3.3-1.2c-0.8-0.8-1.2-2-1.2-3.4c0-1.4,0.4-2.6,1.2-3.4 c0.8-0.8,1.9-1.3,3.1-1.3C22.1,11.2,23.4,11.9,24.2,13.4L24.2,13.4z" fill="currentColor"></path> </g> </svg></a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citing_sources" target="_blank"> <svg id="icon-wiki" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="101 0 44 32"> <g transform="translate(0 0)"> <path id="wikipedia" d="M129.6,4.5l0.3,0h0.5l0.2,0h0.4l0.2,0l0.5,0h0.2l0.1,0.1v0.7c0,0.2-0.1,0.3-0.3,0.3c-1.1,0-1.3,0.2-1.7,0.7 c-0.2,0.3-0.6,1-1.1,1.7l-3.7,7l-0.1,0.2l4.6,9.4l0.3,0.1l7.2-17.1c0.3-0.7,0.2-1.2-0.1-1.5c-0.3-0.3-0.6-0.4-1.4-0.5l-0.7,0 c-0.1,0-0.2,0-0.2-0.1c-0.1,0-0.1-0.1-0.1-0.2V4.6l0.1-0.1h8.1l0.1,0.1v0.7c0,0.2-0.1,0.3-0.3,0.3c-1.1,0-1.9,0.3-2.4,0.7 c-0.5,0.4-0.9,1-1.2,1.7c0,0-2.2,5-4.4,10.1l-0.4,0.9c-1.6,3.6-3.2,7.2-4.1,9.2c-0.9,1.7-1.7,1.5-2.5,0c-0.6-1.2-1.6-3.3-2.5-5.5 l-0.7-1.4c-0.4-0.8-0.8-1.7-1.1-2.4c-1.5,3.2-3.6,7.4-4.7,9.4c-1,1.8-1.8,1.5-2.5,0c-2.3-5.4-7-15-9.3-20.3c-0.4-1-0.7-1.6-1-1.9 c-0.3-0.2-0.9-0.4-1.8-0.4c-0.3,0-0.5-0.1-0.5-0.3V4.6l0.1-0.1l0.8,0h1.4l1.4,0h0.4l2.5,0h0.3l1.3,0h0.8l0.1,0.1v0.7 c0,0.2-0.1,0.3-0.4,0.3l-0.9,0c-0.8,0-1.2,0.3-1.2,0.7c0,0.2,0.1,0.5,0.3,1c1.8,4.3,7.9,17.3,7.9,17.2l0.2,0.1l3.9-7.9 c-0.5-1.1-0.8-1.7-0.8-1.7L119,9.6c0,0-0.5-1.1-0.7-1.4c-1.2-2.4-1.2-2.5-2.4-2.6c-0.3,0-0.5-0.1-0.5-0.3V4.6l0.1-0.1h1l2.1,0h3.9 l0.2,0.1v0.7c0,0.2-0.1,0.3-0.4,0.3l-0.5,0.1c-1.3,0.1-1.1,0.6-0.2,2.3l2.6,5.3l2.9-5.7c0.5-1,0.4-1.3,0.2-1.5l0,0 c-0.1-0.1-0.5-0.4-1.3-0.4l-0.3,0c-0.1,0-0.2,0-0.2-0.1c-0.1,0-0.1-0.1-0.1-0.2V4.6l0.1-0.1l1.2,0H129.6z" fill="currentColor"></path> </g> </svg></a> </p> </footer> <!--footer-citation.en.php--> </div> </main> <script src="/common/js/c2c/1.0/raw.js"></script> <script src="/common/js/clipboard/2.0/clipboard.js"></script> <script src="/nks/js/shared.en.js"></script> <script src="/nks/js/notes.en.js"></script> <!-- begin framework footer en --> <div id ="IPstripe-wrap"></div> <script src="/common/stripe/stripe.en.js"></script> <script type="application/ld+json"> { "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "WebSite", "name": "Stephen Wolfram: A New Kind of Science | Online", "description": "The latest on exploring the computational universe, with free online access to Stephen Wolfram's classic 1,200-page breakthrough book, \"A New Kind of Science\".", "keywords": "A New Kind of Science Online, NKS Online, NKSO", "url": "https://www.wolframscience.com/nks/", "image": "https://www.wolframscience.com/nks/img/a-new-kind-of-science-cover.png", "inLanguage": "en", "creator": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Wolfram" } } </script> <script type="application/ld+json"> { "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "WebPage", "name": "Note (a) for General Notes: A New Kind of Science | Online by Stephen Wolfram [Page 855]", "description": "Educational issues The new kind of science in this book represents a unique educational opportunity. For it touches an immense r... – from A New Kind of Science", "url": "https://www.wolframscience.com/nks/notes-0-1--educational-issues/", "image": "http://www.wolframscience.com/share.png", "inLanguage": "en" } </script> <!-- end framework footer en --> </body> </html>

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10