The genesis of the digital idea and why it transformed civilization
A few short decades ago, we were informed by the smooth signals of
analog television and radio; we communicated using our analog
telephones; and we even computed with analog computers. Today our
world is digital, built with zeros and ones. Why did this
revolution occur? The Discrete Charm of the Machine explains, in an
engaging and accessible manner, the varied physical and logical
reasons behind this radical transformation. The spark of individual
genius shines through this story of innovation: the stored program
of Jacquard’s loom; Charles Babbage’s logical branching; Alan
Turing’s brilliant abstraction of the discrete machine; Harry
Nyquist’s foundation for digital signal processing; Claude
Shannon’s breakthrough insights into the meaning of information
and bandwidth; and Richard Feynman’s prescient proposals for
nanotechnology and quantum computing. Ken Steiglitz follows the
progression of these ideas in the building of our digital world,
from the internet and artificial intelligence to the edge of the
unknown. Are questions like the famous traveling salesman problem
truly beyond the reach of ordinary digital computers? Can quantum
computers transcend these barriers? Does a mysterious magical power
reside in the analog mechanisms of the brain? Steiglitz concludes
by confronting the moral and aesthetic questions raised by the
development of artificial intelligence and autonomous robots. The
Discrete Charm of the Machine examines why our information
technology, the lifeblood of our civilization, became digital, and
challenges us to think about where its future trajectory may lead.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!
Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
(1)
