The Discrete Charm of the Machine

Why the World Became Digital

Nonfiction, Science & Nature, Mathematics, History, Technology, Electronics
Cover of the book The Discrete Charm of the Machine by Ken Steiglitz, Princeton University Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Ken Steiglitz ISBN: 9780691184173
Publisher: Princeton University Press Publication: February 5, 2019
Imprint: Princeton University Press Language: English
Author: Ken Steiglitz
ISBN: 9780691184173
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Publication: February 5, 2019
Imprint: Princeton University Press
Language: English

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.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

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.

More books from Princeton University Press

Cover of the book Reforms at Risk by Ken Steiglitz
Cover of the book Money by Ken Steiglitz
Cover of the book "T. rex" and the Crater of Doom by Ken Steiglitz
Cover of the book Welfare and Rational Care by Ken Steiglitz
Cover of the book Carnations by Ken Steiglitz
Cover of the book Comparative Biomechanics by Ken Steiglitz
Cover of the book The Rebbe by Ken Steiglitz
Cover of the book Nature's Compass by Ken Steiglitz
Cover of the book Reading Cy Twombly by Ken Steiglitz
Cover of the book Slaves, Masters, and the Art of Authority in Plautine Comedy by Ken Steiglitz
Cover of the book Conus of the Southeastern United States and Caribbean by Ken Steiglitz
Cover of the book Dry Bones Rattling by Ken Steiglitz
Cover of the book Everyday Calculus by Ken Steiglitz
Cover of the book Digital Renaissance by Ken Steiglitz
Cover of the book The Maine Woods by Ken Steiglitz
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy