Would-Be Worlds: How Simulation Is Changing the Frontiers of Science

Customer Reviews

Useful non-technical treatment of modelling & simulation - By: , 03 Feb 1997
Casti is a lucid & entertaining writer & has sufficient depth in his own subject & breadth in other disciplines as to be well placed to write a book on modelling & simulation. This is an excellent introduction to some of the mathematical, logical, & philosophical problems of & raised by the increasing use of simulation to investigate 'real-world' problems. It assumes no background beyond a general interest in science.
If this book has weaknesses they tend to be of the variety that afflicts much modern writing in popular science. Editors rather than authors, perhaps? A sizeable portion of the plates & diagrams add nothing to the book ("gee, John, this is a popular science book - we gotta have some pictures") plus a preference for rushing to mine the next source of the 'gee-whiz' factor rather than grappling with consequences.
The strapline on the cover is 'how simulation is changing the frontiers of science' & I'm not at alll sure that this question is answered. The last chapter makes an unconvincing attempt to be a summary, but is in fact the least interesting of the five trailing off rather weakly into a 'what we reallly need is a theory of complex systems' position.
But, the acid test - did I learn anything from this book? Most definitely, yes. - Ashley Oliver

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