Comments on: Looking to the future of A New Kind of Science http://www.kurzweilai.net/looking-to-the-future-of-a-new-kind-of-science Accelerating Intelligence Fri, 24 May 2013 06:41:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Karen Allen http://www.kurzweilai.net/looking-to-the-future-of-a-new-kind-of-science/comment-page-1#comment-19738 Karen Allen Thu, 21 Jun 2012 17:48:05 +0000 http://www.kurzweilai.net/?p=151270#comment-19738 As above, so below. To see the world in a grain of sand... That's what this book teaches. I have loved this book from the beginning and it continues to hold a place of honor on my bookshelves. There is genius here, if we can only crack the code. It is our mission, perhaps, as humans. As above, so below. To see the world in a grain of sand… That’s what this book teaches. I have loved this book from the beginning and it continues to hold a place of honor on my bookshelves. There is genius here, if we can only crack the code. It is our mission, perhaps, as humans.

]]> By: Nyk http://www.kurzweilai.net/looking-to-the-future-of-a-new-kind-of-science/comment-page-1#comment-17777 Nyk Wed, 13 Jun 2012 18:10:27 +0000 http://www.kurzweilai.net/?p=151270#comment-17777 Unfortunately, you need a quantum computer to access the entire set of patterns found in real life. Unfortunately, you need a quantum computer to access the entire set of patterns found in real life.

]]> By: Nabu http://www.kurzweilai.net/looking-to-the-future-of-a-new-kind-of-science/comment-page-1#comment-17013 Nabu Fri, 08 Jun 2012 13:32:36 +0000 http://www.kurzweilai.net/?p=151270#comment-17013 Is it only me who feels that Fredkin or Zuse should at some point be mentioned in this "New kind of science"? Is it only me who feels that Fredkin or Zuse should at some point be mentioned in this “New kind of science”?

]]> By: Samantha Atkins http://www.kurzweilai.net/looking-to-the-future-of-a-new-kind-of-science/comment-page-1#comment-15884 Samantha Atkins Sun, 27 May 2012 20:41:48 +0000 http://www.kurzweilai.net/?p=151270#comment-15884 "But when we create technology, we are free to sample the whole computational universe—so in a sense we can greatly generalize the mechanisms that nature uses." How can this be true? In technological spaces we cannot depart too much from previous technology if our production is to be understood and our efforts funded. So technology too is somewhat limited to incremental changes. We do not sample the entire computational universe but only that part of it that is not too far away from what has already been sampled. “But when we create technology, we are free to sample the whole computational universe—so in a sense we can greatly generalize the mechanisms that nature uses.”

How can this be true? In technological spaces we cannot depart too much from previous technology if our production is to be understood and our efforts funded. So technology too is somewhat limited to incremental changes. We do not sample the entire computational universe but only that part of it that is not too far away from what has already been sampled.

]]> By: Hayagreeva Acharla http://www.kurzweilai.net/looking-to-the-future-of-a-new-kind-of-science/comment-page-1#comment-15851 Hayagreeva Acharla Sat, 26 May 2012 16:06:35 +0000 http://www.kurzweilai.net/?p=151270#comment-15851 A notional concept has a recognizable structure with a defined boundary pattern of which if compliment-able in/with another concept it will coagulate without or mostly with cleavage, when joined, form a new concept. It is convex if inductive or concave if deductive due to chipping away the illogical.The start of the cleavage on joining the two concepts can be the point of incompatibility of the result when deductive and inductive methodologies are applied. A notional concept has a recognizable structure with a defined boundary pattern of which if compliment-able in/with another concept it will coagulate without or mostly with cleavage, when joined, form a new concept. It is convex if inductive or concave if deductive due to chipping away the illogical.The start of the cleavage on joining the two concepts can be the point of incompatibility of the result when deductive and inductive methodologies are applied.

]]> By: Infomagician http://www.kurzweilai.net/looking-to-the-future-of-a-new-kind-of-science/comment-page-1#comment-15693 Infomagician Thu, 24 May 2012 13:40:03 +0000 http://www.kurzweilai.net/?p=151270#comment-15693 Stephen was amazing inspiring with his performance at TedTalks, but whenever he writes it feels like im having a lebotomy trying to read it. We need someone interesting to translate... And yes a step by step guide on how to do computational physics with wolfram would be nice... Stephen was amazing inspiring with his performance at TedTalks, but whenever he writes it feels like im having a lebotomy trying to read it. We need someone interesting to translate… And yes a step by step guide on how to do computational physics with wolfram would be nice…

]]> By: DCWhatthe http://www.kurzweilai.net/looking-to-the-future-of-a-new-kind-of-science/comment-page-1#comment-15422 DCWhatthe Sat, 19 May 2012 23:07:20 +0000 http://www.kurzweilai.net/?p=151270#comment-15422 Along with Stephen's pronouncements of his goals & world views - which I respect, even more than his genius intellect - I wish that he would clarify exactly how to 'search the computational universe', for useful artifacts & algorithms. He discusses it in NKS & elsewhere, but nothing specific enough for me to be able to write a program to play with the idea, and share it with the community. But perhaps it's just a matter of tinkering, figuring it out for ourselves, when time & interest permits. Similarly, for 'curating knowledge' in order to incorporate it for Wolfram Alpha searches. Sounds great, and I understand there's a proprietary aspect of it. But isn't there a way of experimenting with this idea, on a different scale? I mean, all we have nowadays is this promotion of the 'semantic web' and various kinds of ontology systems. But for all the hype, I don't see any knowledge databases, aside from search engines like Google and Wolfram Alpha, which have proven very useful. HOW? How do we search for usable programs, and how do we curate & package knowledge? Along with Stephen’s pronouncements of his goals & world views – which I respect, even more than his genius intellect – I wish that he would clarify exactly how to ‘search the computational universe’, for useful artifacts & algorithms. He discusses it in NKS & elsewhere, but nothing specific enough for me to be able to write a program to play with the idea, and share it with the community. But perhaps it’s just a matter of tinkering, figuring it out for ourselves, when time & interest permits.

Similarly, for ‘curating knowledge’ in order to incorporate it for Wolfram Alpha searches. Sounds great, and I understand there’s a proprietary aspect of it. But isn’t there a way of experimenting with this idea, on a different scale?

I mean, all we have nowadays is this promotion of the ‘semantic web’ and various kinds of ontology systems. But for all the hype, I don’t see any knowledge databases, aside from search engines like Google and Wolfram Alpha, which have proven very useful.

HOW? How do we search for usable programs, and how do we curate & package knowledge?

]]> By: John http://www.kurzweilai.net/looking-to-the-future-of-a-new-kind-of-science/comment-page-1#comment-15342 John Sat, 19 May 2012 02:09:59 +0000 http://www.kurzweilai.net/?p=151270#comment-15342 Still a legend in his own mind. Still a legend in his own mind.

]]> By: star0 http://www.kurzweilai.net/looking-to-the-future-of-a-new-kind-of-science/comment-page-1#comment-15210 star0 Wed, 16 May 2012 14:26:24 +0000 http://www.kurzweilai.net/?p=151270#comment-15210 If Wolfram wants to get the attention of mathematicians and scientists who have dismissed the work, might I suggest he consider integrating a powerful "theorem prover" into future products. Good first-order logic provers have existed for some time now, and higher-order provers are currently being developed by various labs. See the Kestrel institute for some applications. Perhaps he could start with provers that handle plane geometry, and then eventually expand even to differential and algebraic geometry. Once we have a program capable of attacking hard conjectures in algebraic geometry, it will be the beginning of the end of higher mathematics (the institution). Mathematicians everywhere would start to seriously... If Wolfram wants to get the attention of mathematicians and scientists who have dismissed the work, might I suggest he consider integrating a powerful “theorem prover” into future products. Good first-order logic provers have existed for some time now, and higher-order provers are currently being developed by various labs. See the Kestrel institute for some applications.

Perhaps he could start with provers that handle plane geometry, and then eventually expand even to differential and algebraic geometry.

Once we have a program capable of attacking hard conjectures in algebraic geometry, it will be the beginning of the end of higher mathematics (the institution). Mathematicians everywhere would start to seriously…

]]> By: Jonathan Cole http://www.kurzweilai.net/looking-to-the-future-of-a-new-kind-of-science/comment-page-1#comment-15183 Jonathan Cole Tue, 15 May 2012 22:20:56 +0000 http://www.kurzweilai.net/?p=151270#comment-15183 "making knowledge broadly computable"....."but with ultimate purposes still of necessity defined by humans." We have here the statement which will push buttons in most people, due to their religious beliefs or fear of technology. The set of knowledge can only be limited by human purposes, if defined by them. That limit will not hold. Personally I am not bothered by this, though perhaps I should be? “making knowledge broadly computable”…..”but with ultimate purposes still of necessity defined by humans.” We have here the statement which will push buttons in most people, due to their religious beliefs or fear of technology. The set of knowledge can only be limited by human purposes, if defined by them. That limit will not hold. Personally I am not bothered by this, though perhaps I should be?

]]> By: John http://www.kurzweilai.net/looking-to-the-future-of-a-new-kind-of-science/comment-page-1#comment-15177 John Tue, 15 May 2012 20:20:10 +0000 http://www.kurzweilai.net/?p=151270#comment-15177 These are some powerful ideas. Indeed that's the future, not exactly but close. Although the name New Kind of Science is too pompous and awkward/lame. These are some powerful ideas. Indeed that’s the future, not exactly but close. Although the name New Kind of Science is too pompous and awkward/lame.

]]> By: Rick Bennett http://www.kurzweilai.net/looking-to-the-future-of-a-new-kind-of-science/comment-page-1#comment-15174 Rick Bennett Tue, 15 May 2012 19:57:58 +0000 http://www.kurzweilai.net/?p=151270#comment-15174 Kudos, Stephen. I've sung NKS praises for a few years now. I can't wait to see what happens in the NEXT ten years. Rick Bennett http://www.themorgandoctrine.com/2012/05/stephen-wolframs-nks-holds-key-to-black.html Kudos, Stephen. I’ve sung NKS praises for a few years now. I can’t wait to see what happens in the NEXT ten years. Rick Bennett
http://www.themorgandoctrine.com/2012/05/stephen-wolframs-nks-holds-key-to-black.html

]]> By: Marcos Marin http://www.kurzweilai.net/looking-to-the-future-of-a-new-kind-of-science/comment-page-1#comment-15171 Marcos Marin Tue, 15 May 2012 19:18:11 +0000 http://www.kurzweilai.net/?p=151270#comment-15171 "huge range of systems are capable in effect not just of acting in one particular way, but of being programmed to act in almost arbitrary ways." Great, so we'll finally run linux on a potato... oh, wait! “huge range of systems are capable in effect not just of acting in one particular way, but of being programmed to act in almost arbitrary ways.”

Great, so we’ll finally run linux on a potato… oh, wait!

]]> By: Bob Vasquez http://www.kurzweilai.net/looking-to-the-future-of-a-new-kind-of-science/comment-page-1#comment-15166 Bob Vasquez Tue, 15 May 2012 16:08:37 +0000 http://www.kurzweilai.net/?p=151270#comment-15166 Some years ago, I was in a coffee shop reading NKS and I remember well a young boy (in a rather loud voice) saying to his mother, "ma, look at the size of that book!" Oh, my kingdom for the correct pattern. Some years ago, I was in a coffee shop reading NKS and I remember well a young boy (in a rather loud voice) saying to his mother, “ma, look at the size of that book!”

Oh, my kingdom for the correct pattern.

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