From Complexity to Life: On The Emergence of Life and MeaningNiels Henrik Gregersen Oxford University Press, 28.11.2002 - 256 Seiten This book brings together an impressive group of leading scholars in the sciences of complexity, and a few workers on the interface of science and religion, to explore the wider implications of complexity studies. It includes an introduction to complexity studies and explores the concept of information in physics and biology and various philosophical and religious perspectives. Chapter authors include Paul Davies, Greg Chaitin, Charles Bennett, Werner Loewenstein, Paul Dembski, Ian Stewart, Stuart Kauffman, Harold Morowitz, Arthur Peacocke, and Niels H. Gregersen. |
Inhalt
| 3 | |
DEFINING COMPLEXITY | 17 |
2 Randomness and Mathematical Proof | 19 |
3 How to Define Complexity in Physics and Why | 34 |
THE CONCEPT OF INFORMATION IN PHYSICS AND BIOLOGY | 45 |
4 The Emergence of Autonomous Agents | 47 |
5 Complexity and the Arrow of Time | 72 |
6 Can Evolutionary Algorithms Generate Specified Complexity? | 93 |
7 The Second Law of Gravitics and the Fourth Law of Thermodynamics | 114 |
8 Two Arrows from a Mighty Bow | 151 |
PHILOSOPHICAL AND RELIGIOUS PERSPECTIVES | 175 |
9 Emergence of Transcedence | 177 |
10 Complexity Emergence and Divine Creativity | 187 |
11 From Anthropic Design to SelfOrganized Complexity | 206 |
Index | 235 |
Andere Ausgaben - Alle anzeigen
From Complexity to Life: On The Emergence of Life and Meaning Niels Henrik Gregersen Eingeschränkte Leseprobe - 2002 |
From Complexity to Life: On the Emergence of Life and Meaning Niels Henrik Gregersen Eingeschränkte Leseprobe - 2003 |
From Complexity to Life: On The Emergence of Life and Meaning Niels Henrik Gregersen Eingeschränkte Leseprobe - 2002 |
Häufige Begriffe und Wortgruppen
Alice anthropic principle antibody arrow Arthur Peacocke autonomous agents behavior binary biology biosphere blind search Boltzmann causal cells Chaitin chaos clumpiness coarse-graining complex systems concept cosmic cosmological cosmos Darwinian Davies defined demon disorder dynamical emergence energy entropy equilibrium evolution evolutionary algorithm evolved example existence explain finite fitness function fitness landscapes formal system fourth law given God's gravitic systems Gregersen heat human idea increases information theory informational context initial conditions intelligent design Kauffman law of thermodynamics laws of physics logical mathematical mechanics microstate million molecular molecules mutations nature Niels Henrik no-free-lunch theorem notion organisms Oxford particles particular Peacocke phase space photon physicists piston plexity possible probability problem processes properties protein quantum random relation replicators scientific second law selection self-organization sense specified complexity stars statistical structure Stuart Kauffman target sequence theology theorem thermodynamic system time-reversible tion trajectory University Press
Beliebte Passagen
Seite 229 - Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
Seite 73 - ... the outcome of accidental collocations of atoms; that no fire, no heroism, no intensity of thought and feeling, can preserve an individual life beyond the grave; that all the labours of the ages, all the devotion, all the inspiration, all the noonday brightness of human genius, are destined to extinction in the vast death of the solar system, and...
Seite 185 - Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; When the morning stars sang together, and all the Sons of God shouted for joy?
Seite 185 - Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb?
Seite 76 - ... among the laws of Nature. If someone points out to you that your pet theory of the universe is in disagreement with Maxwell's equations — then so much the worse for Maxwell's equations. If it is found to be contradicted by observation — well, these experimentalists do bungle things sometimes. But if your theory is found to be against the second law of thermodynamics I can give you no hope; there is nothing for it but to collapse in deepest humiliation.
Seite 73 - ... of the ages, all the devotion, all the inspiration, all the noonday brightness of human genius, are destined to extinction in the vast death of the solar system, and that the whole temple of Man's achievement must inevitably be buried beneath the debris of a universe in ruins — all these things, if not quite beyond dispute, are yet so nearly certain that no philosophy which rejects them can hope to stand. Only within the scaffolding of these truths, only on the firm foundation of unyielding...
Seite 23 - Solomonoff model a theory that enables one to understand a series of observations is seen as a small computer program that reproduces the observations and makes predictions about possible future observations. The smaller the program, the more comprehensive the theory and the greater the degree of understanding. Observations that are random cannot be reproduced by a small program and therefore cannot be explained by a theory. In addition the future behavior of a random system cannot be predicted....
Seite 219 - The observed values of all physical and cosmological quantities are not equally probable but they take on values restricted by the requirement that there exist sites where carbon-based life can evolve and by the requirement that the Universe be old enough for it to have already done so.
Verweise auf dieses Buch
Holistic Darwinism: Synergy, Cybernetics, and the Bioeconomics of Evolution Peter Corning Eingeschränkte Leseprobe - 2010 |
The Significance of Complexity: Approaching a Complex World Through Science ... Kees van Kooten Niekerk,Hans Buhl Keine Leseprobe verfügbar - 2004 |