Termin:
11.06.2003
18:15

If God does not play dice, how does He run the world?
The concept of optimisation and the laws of physics

At the end of the 17th century, Pierre de Fermat stated that light always picks the quickest path to travel from one point to another and from this basic principle he derived the law of refraction.

We shall take up this idea, investigate whether it is true or false, and follow its mathematical developments, starting with the notion of derivative and ending with modern chaos theory.

Moderation: Karl Sigmund, Uni Wien, ÖAW

Université Paris Dauphine

Information:

Dr. Marianne Baumgart, Öffentlichkeitsarbeit, ÖAW

T (+43 1) 51581/1219, F (+43 1) 51581/1275
Marianne.Baumgart@oeaw.ac.at