Developed by Cambridge mathematician John H. Conway in 1970, the game (a cellular automaton) consists of a collection of cells which, based on a few mathematical rules, can live, die or multiply. Depending on the initial conditions, the cells "evolve" various patterns throughout the course of the game.
The "game" is a zero-player game, meaning that its evolution is determined by its initial state, requiring no further input from humans. One interacts with the Game of Life by creating an initial configuration and observing how it evolves.
The game demonstrates an example of emergence and self-organization - that complex patterns can emerge from the implementation of very simple rules.
It has applications in theoretical physics, biology, economics, mathematics, philosophy and generative science where "emergent" phenomena from simple-to-complex systems are observed. In the field of Digital Physics, the evolution of the universe is proposed to follow a similar mechanism.
Most say that the game affirms the counterintuitive notion that "design" and "organization" can spontaneously emerge in the absence of a designer.
I disagree because someone has to "set" the initial conditions and "push" the button. So ...
Enjoy
Link: http://www.bitstorm.org/gameoflife/
