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Turbulent Mirror, An Illustrated Guide To Chaos Theory And The Science Of Wholeness [1971]
222 p.
Paperback
First published January 1, 1989
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
September 4, 2010
If you're only going to read one book on Chaos/Complexity theory, this is the one. If you're planning to read many, this is a good place to start.
The basic principles behind chaos theory are explained with vivid pictures to ease understanding of the complex (pun) math.
This is possibly the least abstract form of math, as it attempts to explain many of the patterns (and randomness) found in nature and life. Everything from fluctuations in animal populations to the ups and downs of Wall Street are modeled and examined in the field of Chaos Theory.
It's a real eye-opener to have these memes floating around in your head, as each of us encounters (and are a part of) many complex systems every day.
This seems to be the science behind the ancient Chinese Tao philosophy, and I've made Chaos Theory a major part of my personal spiritual system.
I recommend reading this before reading James Gleick's "Chaos: Making of a New Science", since Glieck goes into more detail. You'll want the basic visual understanding before proceeding.
The basic principles behind chaos theory are explained with vivid pictures to ease understanding of the complex (pun) math.
This is possibly the least abstract form of math, as it attempts to explain many of the patterns (and randomness) found in nature and life. Everything from fluctuations in animal populations to the ups and downs of Wall Street are modeled and examined in the field of Chaos Theory.
It's a real eye-opener to have these memes floating around in your head, as each of us encounters (and are a part of) many complex systems every day.
This seems to be the science behind the ancient Chinese Tao philosophy, and I've made Chaos Theory a major part of my personal spiritual system.
I recommend reading this before reading James Gleick's "Chaos: Making of a New Science", since Glieck goes into more detail. You'll want the basic visual understanding before proceeding.
July 13, 2021
Ein sehr interessantes Buch, welches verschiedenste Fachbereiche, die durch die Forschung nichtlinearer Verläufe beeinflusst wurden, aufgreift. Auch für Leser ohne besondere Kenntnisse in Physik geeignet, wobei das letzte Kapitel meines Erachtens nach schwer greifbar ist. Alles in allem jedoch ein guter Einstieg in den Bereich der Chaos Forschung der einem bewusst macht, wie wichtig und umfassend die Thematik ist.
December 12, 2020
I picked this book up on the recommendation of a friend. It took me two months to read it since I spent about twenty minutes on each page trying to wrap my mind around the ideas.
For someone who doesn't have a background in science, I was able to keep up moderately well. I learned a lot and would recommend it to someone interested in chaos theory. I now know at least how to introduce someone to the topic, although I do wish he would have included more explanation of the theory. The entire book was evidence and history of the individual discoveries that contributed to it; he never actually answered the question, "What is chaos theory?" Perhaps his target audience is more informed than am I--but I doubt it, considering that the book is praised for its accessibility for beginners. I still could not regurgitate or explain any of the content beyond a cusory mention, but, then again, I never did so well in my science courses years ago, either, so maybe it's just me.
At least now I know time travel isn't possible, so I can give up trying. And there is such a thing as a solition wave that moves more like a rolling pole under the water than a wave.
In any case, it was well written and clearly illustrated, and I will pass my copy on. Probably.
(Edit: I did pass it on, and the next reader was obsessed with it.)
For someone who doesn't have a background in science, I was able to keep up moderately well. I learned a lot and would recommend it to someone interested in chaos theory. I now know at least how to introduce someone to the topic, although I do wish he would have included more explanation of the theory. The entire book was evidence and history of the individual discoveries that contributed to it; he never actually answered the question, "What is chaos theory?" Perhaps his target audience is more informed than am I--but I doubt it, considering that the book is praised for its accessibility for beginners. I still could not regurgitate or explain any of the content beyond a cusory mention, but, then again, I never did so well in my science courses years ago, either, so maybe it's just me.
At least now I know time travel isn't possible, so I can give up trying. And there is such a thing as a solition wave that moves more like a rolling pole under the water than a wave.
In any case, it was well written and clearly illustrated, and I will pass my copy on. Probably.
(Edit: I did pass it on, and the next reader was obsessed with it.)
January 27, 2016
While perhaps only a bridge to yet another layer of complex adaptability, a fine and creatively arranged bridge.
August 14, 2022
Und ob es eine Reise war - eine von der faszierenden und interessanten Sorte
Das Buch schildert die Grundprinzipien der Chaos-Theorie anhand von Bildnissen und einer narrativen Reise nicht nur sehr anschaulich und nachvollziehbar, sondern auch für jeden Neueinsteiger unheimlich interessant und spannend!
Ich habe das Buch sehr gern gelesen und durfte für mich feststellen, dass die Theorie, so wie sie in diesem Buch dargestellt wird, unheimlich inspirierend sein kann. Man vermöge zu behaupten, dass dahinter eine eigene Philosophie steckt, mit der man sich ebenso lang auseinandersetzen kann wie mit der Chaos-Theorie selbst. Durchaus empfehlenswert für jeden Parawissenschafts-Nerd! :D
Das Buch schildert die Grundprinzipien der Chaos-Theorie anhand von Bildnissen und einer narrativen Reise nicht nur sehr anschaulich und nachvollziehbar, sondern auch für jeden Neueinsteiger unheimlich interessant und spannend!
Ich habe das Buch sehr gern gelesen und durfte für mich feststellen, dass die Theorie, so wie sie in diesem Buch dargestellt wird, unheimlich inspirierend sein kann. Man vermöge zu behaupten, dass dahinter eine eigene Philosophie steckt, mit der man sich ebenso lang auseinandersetzen kann wie mit der Chaos-Theorie selbst. Durchaus empfehlenswert für jeden Parawissenschafts-Nerd! :D
April 6, 2018
This book is somewhat dated now, but it's still one of the best introductions to chaos theory that I've found. The book is organized into two halves. The first half is order -> chaos, and the second half is the reverse, chaos -> order. The problems I had with the book were mostly about how the first half had good definitions and examples but the second half became more abstract. I especially scratched my head during the bits about how art and poetry were chaotic because nuances and germs and stuff.
November 24, 2019
This is one of my favorite books. I go back to it from time to time to refresh my memory of some of the interesting concepts therein.
October 25, 2023
This was a very difficult read. The (few) parts I understood were fascinating!
June 30, 2022
Bit dense in some parts but the analogies are spot on.
November 24, 2023
A must at Chaos theory.
May 17, 2016
This book is pure awesomeness! I recommend it to every curious mind on this planet.
At first, I was a bit worried that the book might be too math heavy (yes, I'm slightly intimidated by pages full of equations and mysterious symbols that make absolutely no sense for me). Which turned out to be true, but not in the way I anticipated: it explores some very fundamental mathematical concepts, deeper than I ever could have imagined, but without using the dreaded mathematical language.
Instead it is framed in a twisted ancient tale of an emperor and a mirror, using an actual mirror structure throughout the book, so that there are two prologues and prefaces, a pair at the beginning and one at the end.
The book builds up by offering very intuitive explanations of the math behind chaos theory/dynamical systems using a vivid language, analogies and many pictures. Around the middle, it'll bend your mind so hard that you might briefly suffer some confusion regarding what's above (n)or below and where the arrow of time is pointing at.
It then explores various applications of chaos theory. Actually it shows more, that we're dealing with an actual universal property, traversing physics, biology, neuroscience, systems science, language, consciousness, art and poetry.
The consequences of reading this book are twofold, on one hand it will rapidly catapult you to the very edge of human knowledge in complexity science, although you might get distracted by the trippy fractals and illustrations of wunderland's Alice and thus mistake the book for some new age nonsense, the math behind it is real and freaking awesome, it touches Solitons, KAM and Ergodicity theory among other topics. For non-mathematicians (like myself) I think Nonlinear Dynamics and Chaos: With Applications to Physics, Biology, Chemistry, and Engineering provides a nice starting point for further study.
On the other hand, this book will definitively shake up your spiritual and philosophical world view, if not your very self.
At first, I was a bit worried that the book might be too math heavy (yes, I'm slightly intimidated by pages full of equations and mysterious symbols that make absolutely no sense for me). Which turned out to be true, but not in the way I anticipated: it explores some very fundamental mathematical concepts, deeper than I ever could have imagined, but without using the dreaded mathematical language.
Instead it is framed in a twisted ancient tale of an emperor and a mirror, using an actual mirror structure throughout the book, so that there are two prologues and prefaces, a pair at the beginning and one at the end.
The book builds up by offering very intuitive explanations of the math behind chaos theory/dynamical systems using a vivid language, analogies and many pictures. Around the middle, it'll bend your mind so hard that you might briefly suffer some confusion regarding what's above (n)or below and where the arrow of time is pointing at.
It then explores various applications of chaos theory. Actually it shows more, that we're dealing with an actual universal property, traversing physics, biology, neuroscience, systems science, language, consciousness, art and poetry.
The consequences of reading this book are twofold, on one hand it will rapidly catapult you to the very edge of human knowledge in complexity science, although you might get distracted by the trippy fractals and illustrations of wunderland's Alice and thus mistake the book for some new age nonsense, the math behind it is real and freaking awesome, it touches Solitons, KAM and Ergodicity theory among other topics. For non-mathematicians (like myself) I think Nonlinear Dynamics and Chaos: With Applications to Physics, Biology, Chemistry, and Engineering provides a nice starting point for further study.
On the other hand, this book will definitively shake up your spiritual and philosophical world view, if not your very self.
December 9, 2012
This is one of the many books I consumed when working on The Immanence of Myth. And it is quite simply the best book I've so far discovered for non-mathematicians to understand chaos theory. It also has application and relevance in regard to systems theory, and makes a good companion piece to 1000 Years of Nonlinear History. (Which I've already reviewed.)
There's little to critique with a book like this. The writing is clear, the re-occurring metaphor with the Yellow Emperor is a little strained at times but not to the point of breaking- so long as you have an interest in nonlinear / holistic systems, you'll get something out of this book.
There's little to critique with a book like this. The writing is clear, the re-occurring metaphor with the Yellow Emperor is a little strained at times but not to the point of breaking- so long as you have an interest in nonlinear / holistic systems, you'll get something out of this book.
July 28, 2007
This book does a great job of illustrating chaos and the fractal patterns we see around us in this concrete jungle, in which we live. I've read a few other books about chaos, and this one is by far the easiest to understand. Other books actually go through the mathematical calculations of chaos, and that's just a little too much for me. I enjoy the subject since it is part of the underlaying subconscious world we barely think about, but see all around us.
August 10, 2016
Excellent introduction to complexity theory. The authors do not shy away from introducing scientific detail, yet do so in a highly accessible format. They outline the concepts, and then demonstrate how complexity theory influences both hard and soft sciences, from chemistry, physics and biology to psychology, sociology and art. The structure of the book (mirror form) is perfect for the novice to conceptualize and solidify the theory being presented.
May 6, 2021
Grandiosa introducción a la teoría del Caos, tan buena o más que la de James Gleick. Los autores explican un montón de aplicaciones de esta teoría, empezando por los rudimentos (herraduras de Smale, órbitas en un toroide...) y concluyendo en los mercados financieros, sistemas dinámicos complejos y ecosistemas. Una maravilla. Altamente recomendable.
August 26, 2021
The book is written well although its topic is not easy to comprehend. A critique from my side: As is the case with many systems theorists, they start to see (i.e. "recognize") systems in reality, which, imho, do not exist. This motivation for a general, all-encompassing worldview is noble but it still needs a great deal of refinement.
July 26, 2007
Such a cool book. All about chaos theory and walks the reader through the emergent principles of order going into chaos (entropy) and the reverse of that process when order emerges out of chaos. Discussed all the major theories of chaos with interesting examples and allegories.
October 6, 2007
This is a good book if you have an interest in chaos theory and would like something that levels in between a "for dummies" book and a textbook. It's written intelligently and has pictures and examples that make it not only easier to understand but really interesting.
April 15, 2013
simple but entertaining introduction to the science of chaos. I read it for the first time years ago and still I think it's an inspiring book. First half of the book definitely more interesting than the second. In fact, this is the reason why I am finding it so difficult to finish it.
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July 16, 2007Fun, easy read as intro to Chaos Theory
September 29, 2008
I see fractals..
April 24, 2009
Engaging introduction to the world of Chaos. My exploration of this part of our universe began here.
October 22, 2009
Can get technical but it has spurred many more ideas after reading this book, both with my art and with life, worth it.
August 20, 2011
Si bien cuando lo leí la matemática y la física que utiliza el libro era un poco avanzada para mi, te cambia completamente la manera de ver el mundo que te rodea
September 1, 2016
Chaos theory is cool. Pictures are a bonus!
August 11, 2016
It took me a long time to get through this book, with a lot of referencing, but I made it through.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews