This volume explores the significant impact of computation on mathematics and sciences, highlighting Stephen Wolfram's contributions to Complex Systems and his book "A New Kind of Science." Featuring 39 authors, it includes 23 contributions organized into seven parts, covering topics from mechanisms in nature to philosophical implications of computation.
It is clear that computation is playing an increasingly prominent role in the development of mathematics, as well as in the natural and social sciences. The work of Stephen Wolfram over the last several decades has been a salient part in this phenomenon helping founding the field of Complex Systems, with many of his constructs and ideas incorporated in his book A New Kind of Science (ANKS) becoming part of the scientific discourse and general academic knowledge--from the now established Elementary Cellular Automata to the unconventional concept of mining the Computational Universe from today's widespread Wolfram's Behavioural Classification to his principles of Irreducibility and Computational Equivalence
Exploring the intersection of computation and nature, this volume assembles contributions from leading experts who examine foundational concepts, pragmatic models, and philosophical implications of computation in understanding the universe. It features a mix of technical papers and accessible essays, emphasizing the role of information and computation in physical reality. Additionally, the book includes a new edition of Konrad Zuse's Calculating Space and a panel discussion transcription with experts in various fields, all dedicated to Alan Turing on the centenary of his birth.