Conway’s Game of Life

Conway’s Game of Life is obviously a game, involving a square, checkerboard alike board full of
cells. These cells are always either ON or OFF. In this game time is an intermittent substance,
divided into periods which by themselves, are time for one and only move for a single cell.
Before you can start this game, firstly there are few rules you must know. First off, every cell
has its’ own 8 neighborly cells and its’ movement depends on them. If 2 neighborly cells are ON,
in the following period the mentioned cells will remain invariable. However, in case 3
neighborly cells are ON, the primary cell will also be ON in the following period. In every other
occasion, it will be OFF. In this game, there are determined, preordained outcomes of how the
cells could possibly align according to the rules of Life.
This is a mini model of a deterministic world. At first sight, we are able to tell what might
happen to each of the cells in advance. If we zoom-out from the board for a bit, we can even
predict the patterns that indicate the changes on the board. These patterns are described as
Flashers, Gliders, Eaters or Still-Life. When you start the game, it might seem to be very boring
and nothing out of ordinary, however, apparently it is not true. When you take scale into
account, it becomes apparent that there are multiple “levels” to the game of life. One should
look at the broader picture and only then becomes apparent that the unity of cells make up the
organisms in the game. Each of these organisms perform very simple functions, however, when
combined, they can make magnificent things happen.
Now this is a physical description of the game, however, this is obviously a thinking tool that
has its’ own purpose to show that there are many levels in life, as well as in the game, to be
considered and thought about seriously. All in all, we can predict the movements of an
individual cells, even organisms if we will be observant. However, we can’t tell in advance what
the glider will do, or what is the eater going to eat. The given fact, that the world is
deterministic and the law of nature exists, doesn’t mean that everything is predetermined and
inevitable! It may be true for the individual cells, however, it doesn’t mean much for a broader
picture. Scientific image is not everything…