On: The game of life emulated in the game of life

[joshuahedlund]

> complex patterns can emerge from the implementation of very simple rules... "design" and "organization" can spontaneously emerge in the absence of a designer

Self-organization is fascinating stuff; I suppose the economic corollary would be the "invisible hand." But in this example, is there not a "designer" setting the "simple rules" that make the self-organization possible?

[guard-of-terra → joshuahedlund]

Even from a random starting pattern you will get some complex patterns emerging.

And no, those aren't encoded in Life's rules. They are merely allowed by those.