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>The Autoverse is an artificial life simulator based on a cellular automaton complex enough to represent the substratum of an artificial chemistry. It is determ
by abra0 5y ago
>The Autoverse is an artificial life simulator based on a cellular automaton complex enough to represent the substratum of an artificial chemistry. It is deterministic, internally consistent and vaguely resembles real chemistry. Tiny environments, simulated in the Autoverse and filled with populations of a simple, designed lifeform, Autobacterium lamberti, are maintained by a community of enthusiasts obsessed with getting A. lamberti to evolve, something the Autoverse chemistry seems to make extremely difficult.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permutation_City https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permutation_City
- wincy 5y agoI read that a few years ago, probably because it was recommended here on HN. Absolutely wild book.
- spicybright 5y agoIt seriously flipped my view of the world on it's head for a bit. Then I read it again right after lol
- nynx 5y agoWhat a coincidence, I just reread that section of permutation city yesterday. I wonder if there is an efficient cellular automata that vaguely approximates the behavior of real chemistry, just like the autoverse. It's a shame the garden eden configuration plot point is kind of bunk.
- alisonkisk 5y agoStephen Wolfram says yes.
- JoeSloth 5y agoThis was my first thought after looking at the project. Just finished the book.. wild!
- throwaway6734 5y agoThis book is absolutely fantastic. Egan is a magnificent writer.
- Hwatwasthat 5y agoHe is, but sometimes I go cross-eyed reading his books. He likes to explore some crazy topics, which makes for great reading but sometimes confusing reading too.
- sooheon 5y agoYeah, that's why my favorite way of reading him is via his short stories. Just enough to get the big idea across and not get lost in too much detail.
- IkmoIkmo 5y agoCould you recommend one or two of these short stories? Thank you!
- sooheon 5y agoPick up Axiomatic, try the first story (The Infinite Assassin) and see if it grabs you. It's got the best parts of something like Snow Crash, which drops you in without much exposition, and lets the visuals/action lead. Learning to Be Me from the same collection really stood out to me, it's a unique take on the "uploading your consciousness" trope.
- westoncb 5y agoMy recollection from Infinite Assassin is that for someone not pretty literate in mathematics it would nearly be nonsense.
- sooheon 5y agoInto Darkness was another great one from Axiomatic. Also great action, and a seriously intense brooding atmosphere.
- leblancfg 5y agoThank you for letting me find my next read! Loved Egan's Diaspora years ago, looking forward to this one.
- arrow7000 5y agoDiaspora is one of my all time favourite books
- ithkuil 5y agoPermutation city was my gateway drug for the excellent Greg Egan bibliography