| Description |
1 online resource |
| Physical Medium |
polychrome |
| Description |
text file |
| Summary |
"There is a widespread assumption that the universe in general, and life in particular, is "getting more complex with time". This book brings together a wide range of experts in science, philosophy, and theology and unveils their joint effort in exploring this idea. They confront essential problems behind the theory of complexity and the role of life within it: What is complexity? When does it increase, and why? Is the universe evolving towards states of ever greater complexity and diversity? If so, what is the source of this universal enrichment? This book addresses those difficult questions, and offers a unique cross-disciplinary perspective on some of the most profound issues at the heart of science and philosophy. Readers will gain insights in complexity that reach deep into key areas of physics, biology, complexity science, philosophy and religion"-- Provided by publisher. |
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references and index. |
| Contents |
Author biographies; Part I Introduction; 1 What is complexity? Is it increasing?; Part II Cosmological and physical perspectives; 2 Directionality principles from cancer to cosmology; 2.1 The big picture; 2.2 Gravitational entropy and gravitational complexity; 2.3 Material complexity; 2.4 Biological complexity; 2.5 The origin of life and life as a cosmic phenomenon; 2.6 Cancer as a case study in advancing complexity; 2.7 Conclusion; Acknowledgements; 3 A simple treatment of complexity: cosmological entropic boundary conditions on increasing complexity. |
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3.1 The complexity of complexity3.2 Evolution of the entropy and the maximum potential entropy of the universe; 3.3 Existing equilibrium, opening an entropy gap, and the conceptual problem of the maximum potential entropy of the universe; 3.4 Sources of free energy; 3.5 Does complexity increase?; 3.6 Summary; 4 Using complexity science to search for unity in the natural sciences; 4.1 Cosmic evolution; 4.2 Energy rate density; 4.3 Complexity quantified; Physical evolution; Biological evolution; Cultural evolution; 4.4 Summary; 5 On the spontaneous generation of complexity in the universe. |
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5.1 Marshalling the facts5.2 The dual physical/computational nature of the universe; 5.3 How and why physical systems produce complexity; 5.4 Quantum fluctuations and decoherence; 5.5 Complexity generation in the universe- past and future; 5.6 Generation of complexity in the multiverse; 5.7 Generation of complexity in the type I multiverse; 5.8 Generation of complexity in the type II multiverse; 5.9 Generation of complexity in the type III multiverse; 5.10 Generation of complexity in the type IV multiverse; 5.11 Return to our universe; Acknowledgements. |
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6 Emergent spatiotemporal complexity in field theory6.1 Solitons and self-organization; 6.2 Emergent spatiotemporal complexity in field theory; 6.3 Quantifying the emergence of complexity: organized structures as bottlenecks to equipartition; 6.4 Into the speculative realm: life as a self-sustaining oscillon-like structure; 6.5 Final remarks: looking ahead; Part III Biological complexity, evolution, and information; 7 Life: the final frontier for complexity?; 7.1 Grappling with complexity; 7.2 Which metric?; 7.3 Let there be brains; 7.4 How simple are the starting points? |
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7.5 Evolutionary inherency7.6 Reversing complexity; 7.7 Are there limits to biological complexity?; Acknowledgements; 8 Evolution beyond Newton, Darwin, and entailing law: the origin of complexity in the evolving biosphere; 8.1 Newton; 8.2 Darwin; 8.3 Monod and "teleonomy"; 8.4 Beyond teleonomy: function, doing, agency; 8.4.1 The non-ergodic universe above the complexity of the atom; 8.4.2 Kantian wholes and the reality of functions, "doings, and agency"; 8.4.3 Collectively autocatalytic DNA sets, RNA sets, or peptide sets. |
| Local Note |
eBooks on EBSCOhost EBSCO eBook Subscription Academic Collection - North America |
| Subject |
Complexity (Philosophy)
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Complexity (Philosophy) |
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Science -- Philosophy.
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Science -- Philosophy. |
| Genre/Form |
Electronic books.
|
| Added Author |
Lineweaver, C. H. (Charley H.)
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Davies, P. C. W.
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Ruse, Michael.
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| Other Form: |
Print version: Complexity and the arrow of time. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 2013 9781107027251 (DLC) 2013007433 (OCoLC)828884479 |
| ISBN |
9781461934066 (electronic book) |
|
1461934060 (electronic book) |
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9781139225700 (electronic book) |
|
1139225707 (electronic book) |
|
9781107275249 |
|
1107275245 |
|
9781107272521 |
|
1107272521 |
|
9781107274006 |
|
1107274001 |
|
9781107027251 |
|
110702725X |
|
9781299749337 |
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129974933X |
|
