This (awesome and inspiring) article doesn't really go into the philosophy much, but one thing I love in this direction is the way that programming lets us work

This (awesome and inspiring) article doesn't really go into the philosophy much, but one thing I love in this direction is the way that programming lets us work directly with (abstract) computation - literally any rule-following system that can be described, can be explored. Universal computation is still the max known complexity of any rule-following process, and it's also a low-bar, very easily attained: x86, RISC, GoL, rule 40, or smallest 2,3-Turing-machine - all are exactly equal in their total-computational-capability (merely with different translation needs on their input and output). Ideas (fantasies?) of hyper-computation are fascinating, but what can that really mean? To follow instructions better than exactly? Surely it'd just be different types of faster!?