In “The Computational Beauty of nature” Gary Flake explores the various methods used to understand the universe and the inherent attributes that are always present in nature. Flake highlights the importance of considering different approaches to study the same topic as each approach can result in a different outcome. Flake’s example of studying ants using reductionism highlights how such an approach can strip away the intricate beauty of their colony systems. On the other hand, studying humans as groups takes away the individualistic essence of each person. This concept underscores the realization that many aspects of life remain imperfectly understood due to the universe’s intricate complexity.
This concept has made me realize how mimicking nature in programs can be done in many different ways depending on the task required. For instance, mimicking an ant colony system might require a holistic approach to capture its intricate beauty, while emulating individual human behaviors may necessitate a more nuanced focus. It is hard to understand how we should interpret each of these subjects because of the complexity of the universe knowing that some systems are parallel while others adapt and evolve due to their environment. So many things could be studied and mimicked using different approaches which could result in different outcomes.