A New era in computation

Author(s)

• Metropolis, N. (Nicholas)
• Rota, Gian-Carlo

Bibliographic Information

A New era in computation

edited by N. Metropolis, Gian-Carlo Rota

MIT Press, 1993

1st MIT Press ed

Note

"Articles originally appeared in the winter 1992 issue of Daedalus, volume 121, number 1"--T.p. verso

Includes bibliographical references

Description and Table of Contents

Description

The transition from serial to parallel computing in which many operations are performed simultaneously and at tremendous speed, marks a new era in computation. These original essays explore the emerging modalities and potential impact of this technological revolution. Daniel Hillis, inventor of the superfast Connection Machine (R), provides a clear explanation of massively parallel computing. The essays that follow investigate the rich possibilities, as well as the constraints, that parallel computation holds for the future. These possibilities include its tremendous potential for simulating currently intractable physical processes and for solving "monster" scientific problems (involving new algorithms and ways of thinking about problem solving that will change the way we think about the world), and its use in the neural sciences (where the biological model for parallel computation is the brain). Essays also address the gap between the promise of this new technology and our current educational system and look at America's technological agenda for the 1990s. Daniel Hillis is Chief Scientist and James Bailey is Director of Marketing, both at Thinking Machines Corporation.Selected Essays: Preface, Stephen R. Graubard. What is Massively Parallel Computing, and Why Is It Important? W. Daniel Hillis. Complex Adaptive Systems, John H. Holland. Perspectives on Parallel Computing, Yuefan Deng, James Glimm, David H. Sharp. Parallel Billiards and Monster Systems, Brosl Hasslacher. First We Reshape Our Computers, Then Our Computers Reshape Us: The Broader Intellectual Impact of Parallelism, James Bailey. Parallelism in Conscious Experience. Robert Sokolowski. Of Time, Intelligence, and Institutions, Felix E. Browder. Parallel Computing and Education, Geoffrey C. Fox. The Age of Computing: A Personal Memoir, N. Metropolis. What Should the Public Know about Mathematics? Philip J. Davis. America's Economic-Technological Agenda for the 1990s, Jacob T. Schwartz.A Daedalus special issue

Table of Contents

• What is massively parallel computing and why is it important?, W. Daniel Hillis
• complex adaptive systems, John H. Holland
• perspectives on parallel computing, Yuefan Deng et al
• parallel billiards and monster systems, Brosl Hasslacher
• first we reshape our computers, then our computers reshape us - the broader intellectual impact of parallelism in conscious experience, Robert Sokolowski
• of time, intelligence and institutions, Felix E. Browder
• parallel computing and education, Geoffrey C. Fox
• the age of computing - a personal memoir, N. Metropolis
• what should the public know about mathematics?, Philip J. Davis
• America's economic-technological agenda for the 1990s, Jacob T. Schwartz.

by "Nielsen BookData"

• NCID: BA2091572X
• ISBN:
  • 0262631547
• LCCN: 93008200
• Country Code: us
• Title Language Code: eng
• Text Language Code: eng
• Place of Publication: Cambridge, Mass.
• Pages/Volumes: xii, 241 p.
• Size: 23 cm
• Classification:
  • LCC : QA76.58
  • DC20 : 303.48/34
• Subject Headings:
  • LCSH : Parallel processing (Electronic computers)