Almost all the science that's been done for the past three hundred or so years has been based in the end on the idea that things in our universe somehow follow rules that can be represented by traditional mathematical equations. The basic idea that underlies "A New Kind of Science" is that that's much too restrictive, and that in fact one should consider the vastly more general kinds of rules that can be embodied, for example, in computer programs.
- scientist Stephen Wolfram on his book A New Kind of Science.

Over 1200 pages but I guess ttj will be interested in getting it? :)