5.44 lbs.
200 cubic inches.
1197 pages, not counting the index.
This is the text of Stephen Wolfram's A NEW KIND OF SCIENCE.
In 2002, Wolfram, who had been working on this book every since receiving one of those McArthur Foundation "genius" awards in the early eighties, unleashed his tome on the world. There had been a lot a talk in scientific circles for years about what he was doing. Wolfram already was the CEO of his own company, Wolfram Research, which had marketed the Mathematica program to science and industry.
And the Book came forth. It was to be the big question to Deep Thought's "forty-two" answer. Many articles were written in preparation for the Book.
But then little was said about the Book. Some reviews were negative. Some said it wasn't really all that new. His basic idea, that cellular automata could explain the fundamental nature of Life, The Universe, and Everything, was flawed. And little more was said.
I think most of the reviewers couldn't hack reading the Book. I gave up after chapter one. Although Wofram writes in a very easy and conversational style, the math part is tough going and the patterns he uses to make his points can melt your eyeballs.
But I'm going to try it again. And this time I will get through the Book. And this is what I will write about here. Because there just isn't enough interesting things to write about elsewise. At least nothing that would add much to the million or so other Blogs out there.
So here it goes people. I just finished the preface and the notes which go with it. Tommorrow, I'll write about that. As the days go by, I'll write about the rest of the Book.
Batten down the hatches. Fasten your seatbelts. Phasers set to kill. Here I go.