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Computation in Science (Second Edition)
From concepts to practice
Konrad Hinsen
Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS Orléans, Orléans, France
IOP Publishing, Bristol, UK
Copyright © IOP Publishing Ltd 2020
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ISBN 978-0-7503-3287-3 (ebook)
ISBN 978-0-7503-3285-9 (print)
ISBN 978-0-7503-3288-0 (myPrint)
ISBN 978-0-7503-3286-6 (mobi)
DOI 10.1088/978-0-7503-3287-3
Version: 20200901
IOP ebooks
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data: A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
Published by IOP Publishing, wholly owned by The Institute of Physics, London
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Contents
1 What is computation?
1.1.1 Numerical computation
1.1.3 Non-numerical computation
1.2 The roles of computation in scientific research
Computation as a tool
Computation as a form of scientific knowledge
Computation as a model for information processing in nature
2 Computation in science
2.1 Traditional science: celestial mechanics
2.1.1 Empirical models for planetary orbits
2.2 Scientific models and computation
2.2.1 Characterizing models by computational effort
2.2.2 Empirical models: from linear regression to data science
2.2.3 Explanatory models: from simple to complex systems
2.2.4 Measuring the complexity of a model
2.2.5 Getting rid of the equations
2.3 Computation at the interface between observations and models
2.3.1 Matching models and measurements
2.3.2 Mixing models and measurements
2.4 Computation for developing insight
2.5 The impact of computing on science
3 Formalizing computation
3.1 From manual computation to rewriting rules
3.2 From computing machines to automata theory