Re: Good Books on Chaos Theory

Gregory Alan Bolcer (gbolcer@gambetta.ICS.uci.edu)
Wed, 19 Aug 1998 12:50:34 -0700


> Making the Predictable Unpredictable?
>
> Rather than actually SHOP at Amazon, I thought it'd be worthwhile to ask
> the list if anyone has ever read any approachable Layman's books (that
> of course also appeal to the %3) on Chaos theory.

I recommend subscribing to the Santa Fe Institute's Bulletin. They
have tremendous up to date research on nonlinear dynamics (formerly
referred to Chaos theory before the public got a hold of it) across
a wide range of disciplines. I've been a subscriber since
1989. Back in my commodity days, they had a $10k contest on
electronic bargaining and arbitration in the effect of
commodity trading and prices. I formulated a proof with my
ex-advisor that using a certain game-theoretic strategy, you
could be guranteed $400 worth of the prize money. The results
of the contest? I coded it up, completed, and they
sent me a check for $465. I've followed their work ever since.

http://www.santafe.edu/sfi/publications/

They do some really great work on self-organizing systems, equilibriums,
causality, concurrency, autonomy, evolution, adaptation, complexity,
catastrophe points, etc. There's an article on agent-based modelling
of small-scale societies that I was going to fork something on
except for the fact that my brain is rotted from writing my
stupid thesis.

Greg

>
> The more I think about The Interconnectedness of Things(tm) the more I
> realize that networks are ecologies and therefore are subject to
> "emergent interactions" similar to biological organisms, like Joe's F1
> cars. Chaos theory has wonderful applications here, no?
>
> -Ian.
> _____________________________________________________________
> Ian Andrew Bell belli@bctel.ca
> BC TEL Interactive (604) 482-5708
>
> "Make it idiot proof and someone will make a better idiot."