The Recursive Universe: Cosmic Complexity and the Limits of Scientific Knowledge (Dover Books on Science)

Although this book was written in the 80's it is still up to date as it covers timeless aspects of physics. The book alternates chapters on Conway's Game of Life with chapters on physics. There is a lot of clearly explained chapters on information theory including Maxwell's Demon and the solution to that paradox. Also there is information on what happened at the beginning of the universe and what will happen at the end of the universe. There is also a mini biography of Von Neumann which I found very interesting. Finally, there is a good bibliography of books some of which are still current. I have read several books on this kind of stuff but this is probably the clearest book I have read, especially the part on information theory.

This book covers the topic of mathematical complexity and how it develops in the physical world. It was written decades ago and has been surpassed with new research. However it is a good introduction. I would recommend reading it but realize the more recent stuff has the advantage of more findings that may not have been available at the time of this books writing. The subject is fascinating and Poundstone writes other good popularizations of applied math like "prisoner's dilemma".

This book explains the complexity of our Universe by using Conway's Game of Life to show how massive complexity emerges from simple recursive rules. Understanding this book will change the way you view the Universe and it's complexity. I keep referring back to it and rereading certain sections. The author doesn't spell out these conclusions, he lays out the foundations and allows the reader to formulate his/her own theories. I hope he writes a sequel to this book incorporating some of the new discoveries of physics and cosmology.

This is a fantastic, mind blowing book, spanning a wide array of topics ranging from information theory, to cellular automata, computer science, complexity, chaos, and self-organizing structures. You will gain deep insights into how the universe must work on a fundamental level. One of my favorite reads of all time.

I have been thinking for day about the fundamental question: is it possible to extract complexity from simplicity? This book, through the use of simulation answer affirmatively: you can do it if you use recursion... and if you allow for randomness to create a simple computer to you... a fascinating read on how information theory could be the grand unified theory that physics has been searching for

Brilliant, profound, and deep, yet it is easy to read and engaging. This book is a rare gem that drives you to think and think more!

The book arrived promptly and is in excellent condition. As to the contents, this is an informative, well-written book by a well-known author. I enjoy reading it, as I have his other books.

This author has the ability to write very interesting books. Prisoner's Dilemma is one of only a handful of books I have found worth reading more than once. Fortune's Formula was hard to put down. In this book, William Poundstone uses the computer graphics routine, Life, to set up his narratives of cosmology and evolution. If you are a big fan of Life, and enjoy savoring lots of little details about it, then you will enjoy reading this book and seeing Life tied into the larger theories. Otherwise, the excruciating detail can get to be a grind.