神秘的混沌理论（2009）

just like the other systems we've encountered.
就像我们之前遇到的其他系统
One based on simple rules and feedback,
建立在简单规则和反馈的基础上
from which complexity spontaneously emerges.
复杂就这样自发地♥产♥生了
Think about it. The simple rule is that the organism
仔细想想 这个简单的规则就是
must replicate with a few random mutations now and again.
机体一定是伴随着偶尔地变异进行复♥制♥
The feedback comes from the environment
环境的反馈就是
which favours the mutations that are best suited to it.
适者生存
The result is ever-increasing complexity,
其结果是未经思考和设计
produced without thought or design.
却不断加剧的复杂性
The interesting thing is that one can move up
有意思的是它却会发展到
to a higher level of organisation.
一个更高的水平
Once you have organisms that actually have patterns on them,
一旦机体有了某种模式
these can be selected for or selected against
它们就会经过
by processes which are essentially feedbacks.
反馈来进行筛选
And so evolution itself, the whole darwinian scheme,
因此进化本身 整个达尔文理论
is, in a sense, Turing again
从某种意义上来说就是
with feedbacks happening through different processes.
通过不同进程发生反馈的图灵理论
And that's the essence of this story.
这就是这故事的本质
Unthinking, simple rules have the power to create
无需思考的简单规则无意中
amazingly complex systems without any conscious thought.
创造出了令人惊叹不已的复杂系统
In that sense,
这种意义下
these computer beings are self-organised systems,
这些电脑人都是自组织系统
just like the one Belousov observed happening in his chemicals.
就像别洛乌索夫在实验中所观察到的
Just like the ones in sand dunes and the mandelbrot sets,
就像沙丘的形成和曼德勃罗集
in our lungs, our hearts,
就像肺的结构 心脏的跳动
in weather and in the geography of our planet.
就像天气 以及我们星球的地貌
Design does not need an active, interfering designer.
设计并不需要一个碍手碍脚的设计师
It's an inherent part of the universe.
它是宇宙与生俱来的本领
One of the things that makes people so uncomfortable
人们对自发模式形成的观点
about this idea of, if you will, spontaneous pattern formation,
感到不自在的原因之一
is that somehow or other you don't need a creator.
就是无论如何都不需要一个创造者
But perhaps a really clever designer,
不过真正聪明的设计师
what he would do, is to kind of treat the universe
应该会把宇宙看作
like a giant simulation, where you set some initial condition
一个巨大的模拟器 只需设定初始条件
and just let the whole thing spontaneously happen
然后就让它自然而然地发展
in all of its wonder and all of its beauty.
这会是一个充满着神奇和美丽的过程
The mathematics of pattern formation shows that
模式形成的数学表达
the same kind of pattern can show up in an enormous range of
表明同样的模式可见于
different physical, chemical, biological systems.
各种物理 化学和生物系统中
Somewhere deep down inside,
而究其本质
it's happening for the same mathematical reason.
它们都建立在同样的数学基础之上
Implicit in those facts
隐藏在表象之下的
are these beautiful patterns that we see everywhere.
是随处可见的美丽图案
This, I think, is a mind-blowing thought.
这是一个令人兴奋的想法
So, what is the ultimate lesson we can take from all this?
我们最终可以从中得出什么结论呢
Well, it's that all the complexity of the universe,
那就是宇宙的所有复杂性
all its infinite richness,
及其无尽魅力
emerges from mindless simple rules, repeated over and over again.
都来源于毋庸思索的简单规则的不断重复
But remember, powerful though this process is,
但请记住 尽管这个过程十分强大
it's also inherently unpredictable.
却依然是不可预知的
So although I can confidently tell you
虽然我可以自信地告诉你
that the future will be amazing,
未来是令人惊叹的
I can also say,
但我也可以说
with scientific certainty,
就算有了科学确定性
that I have no idea what it holds.
我依然不清楚未来的样子