During last decade significant progress has been made in the oil indus try by using soft computing technology. Underlying this evolving technology there have, been ideas transforming the very language we use to describe problems with imprecision, uncertainty and partial truth. These developments offer exciting opportunities, but at the same time it is becoming clearer that further advancements are confronted by funda mental problems. The whole idea of how human process information lies at the core of the challenge. There are already new ways of thinking about the problems within theory of perception-based information. This theory aims to understand and harness the laws of human perceptions to dramatically im prove the processing of information. A matured theory of perception-based information is likely to be proper positioned to contribute to the solution of the problems and provide all the ingredients for a revolution in science, technology and business. In this context, Berkeley Initiative in Soft Computing (BISC), Univer sity of California, Berkeley from one side and Chevron-Texaco from another formed a Technical Committee to organize a Meeting entitled "State of the Art Assessment and New Directions for Research" to understand the signifi cance of the fields accomplishments, new developments and future directions. The Technical Committee selected and invited 15 scientists (and oil indus try experts as technical committee members) from the related disciplines to participate in the Meeting, which took place at the University of California, Berkeley, and March 15-17, 2002."

An understanding of emergent computation requires a profound revision of the most fundamental ideas. A noticeable attempt of such a rethinking is a world view in which natural systems are seen not as separate entities but as integrated parts of a unified whole. The book for the first time presents such a mathematical structure, which remarkably is based on integers as the single concept. As integers are considered to be the most fundamental entities irreducible to something simpler, this makes the mathematical structure a final theory, and thus we do not have to look for its explanation in terms of deeper concepts. The book is not only applicable to models of computation and optimization but also has scientific consequences, as it contributes to a rethinking of the most fundamental ideas about nature. Audience: The book is written at a level suitable for advanced undergraduate students and graduate students as well as research workers and practitioners in computer science information technology, mathematics and physics. The book is suitable as a reference or as supplementary reading material for an advanced graduate course. Only a basic knowledge of calculus is required.

Optimization from Human Genes to Cutting Edge Technologies The challenges faced by industry today are so complex that they can only be solved through the help and participation of optimization ex perts. For example, many industries in e-commerce, finance, medicine, and engineering, face several computational challenges due to the mas sive data sets that arise in their applications. Some of the challenges include, extended memory algorithms and data structures, new program ming environments, software systems, cryptographic protocols, storage devices, data compression, mathematical and statistical methods for knowledge mining, and information visualization. With advances in computer and information systems technologies, and many interdisci plinary efforts, many of the "data avalanche challenges" are beginning to be addressed. Optimization is the most crucial component in these efforts. Nowadays, the main task of optimization is to investigate the cutting edge frontiers of these technologies and systems and find the best solutions for their realization. Optimization principles are evident in nature (the perfect optimizer) and appeared early in human history. Did you ever watch how a spider catches a fly or a mosquito? Usually a spider hides at the edge of its net. When a fly or a mosquito hits the net the spider will pick up each line in the net to choose the tense line? Some biologists explain that the line gives the shortest path from the spider to its prey."

An understanding of emergent computation requires a profound revision of the most fundamental ideas. A noticeable attempt of such a rethinking is a world view in which natural systems are seen not as separate entities but as integrated parts of a unified whole. The book for the first time presents such a mathematical structure, which remarkably is based on integers as the single concept. As integers are considered to be the most fundamental entities irreducible to something simpler, this makes the mathematical structure a final theory, and thus we do not have to look for its explanation in terms of deeper concepts. The book is not only applicable to models of computation and optimization but also has scientific consequences, as it contributes to a rethinking of the most fundamental ideas about nature. Audience: The book is written at a level suitable for advanced undergraduate students and graduate students as well as research workers and practitioners in computer science information technology, mathematics and physics. The book is suitable as a reference or as supplementary reading material for an advanced graduate course. Only a basic knowledge of calculus is required.

Optimization from Human Genes to Cutting Edge Technologies The challenges faced by industry today are so complex that they can only be solved through the help and participation of optimization ex perts. For example, many industries in e-commerce, finance, medicine, and engineering, face several computational challenges due to the mas sive data sets that arise in their applications. Some of the challenges include, extended memory algorithms and data structures, new program ming environments, software systems, cryptographic protocols, storage devices, data compression, mathematical and statistical methods for knowledge mining, and information visualization. With advances in computer and information systems technologies, and many interdisci plinary efforts, many of the "data avalanche challenges" are beginning to be addressed. Optimization is the most crucial component in these efforts. Nowadays, the main task of optimization is to investigate the cutting edge frontiers of these technologies and systems and find the best solutions for their realization. Optimization principles are evident in nature (the perfect optimizer) and appeared early in human history. Did you ever watch how a spider catches a fly or a mosquito? Usually a spider hides at the edge of its net. When a fly or a mosquito hits the net the spider will pick up each line in the net to choose the tense line? Some biologists explain that the line gives the shortest path from the spider to its prey."

During last decade significant progress has been made in the oil indus try by using soft computing technology. Underlying this evolving technology there have, been ideas transforming the very language we use to describe problems with imprecision, uncertainty and partial truth. These developments offer exciting opportunities, but at the same time it is becoming clearer that further advancements are confronted by funda mental problems. The whole idea of how human process information lies at the core of the challenge. There are already new ways of thinking about the problems within theory of perception-based information. This theory aims to understand and harness the laws of human perceptions to dramatically im prove the processing of information. A matured theory of perception-based information is likely to be proper positioned to contribute to the solution of the problems and provide all the ingredients for a revolution in science, technology and business. In this context, Berkeley Initiative in Soft Computing (BISC), Univer sity of California, Berkeley from one side and Chevron-Texaco from another formed a Technical Committee to organize a Meeting entitled "State of the Art Assessment and New Directions for Research" to understand the signifi cance of the fields accomplishments, new developments and future directions. The Technical Committee selected and invited 15 scientists (and oil indus try experts as technical committee members) from the related disciplines to participate in the Meeting, which took place at the University of California, Berkeley, and March 15-17, 2002."