内容简介
Untilrecently,suchphenomenaasthevolatilityofweathersystems,thefluctuationoftheshockmarket,ortherandomfiringofneuronsinthebrainwereconsideredtoo"noisy"andcomplextobeprobedbyscience.Butnow,withtheaidofhigh-speedcomputers,scientistshavebeenabletopenetratearealitythatischangingthewayweperceivetheuniverse.Theirfindings--thebasisforchaostheory--representoneofthemostexcitingscientificpursuitsofourtime.NobetterintroductiontothisfindcouldbefoundthanJohnBriggsandF.DavidPeat'sTurbulentMirror.Together,theyexplorethemanyfacesofchaosandrevealhowitslawdirectmostoftheprocessesofeverydaylifeandhowitappearsthateverythingintheuniverseisinterconnected--discoveringan"emergingscienceofwholeness."TurbulentMirrorintroducesustothescientistsinvolvedinstudythisendlesslystrangefield;tothetheoriesthatareturningourperceptionoftheworldonitshead;andtothediscoveriesinmathematics,biology,andphysicsthatareheraldingarevolutionmoreprofoundthantheoneresponsibleforproducingtheatomicbomb.Withpracticalapplicationsrangingfromthecontroloftrafficflowandthedevelopmentofartificalintelligencetothetreatmentofheartattacksandschizophrenia,chaospromisestobeanincreasinglyrewardingareaofinquiry--ofinteresttoeveryone.