From Strange Simplicity to Complex Familiarity

A Treatise on Matter, Information, Life and Thought
Erscheinungsjahr 2019
ISBN: 978-0-19-884194-4
Verlag: OXFORD UNIV PR

Buch, Englisch, 768 Seiten, Print PDF, Format (B × H): 189 mm x 246 mm, Gewicht: 1434 g

This book presents a vivid argument for the almost lost idea of a unity of all natural sciences. It starts with the "strange" physics of matter, including particle physics, atomic physics and quantum mechanics, cosmology, relativity and their consequences (Chapter I), and it continues by describing the properties of material systems that are best understood by statistical and phase-space concepts (Chapter II). These lead to entropy and to the classical picture of quantitative information, initially devoid of value and meaning (Chapter III). Finally, "information space" and dynamics within it are introduced as a basis for semantics (Chapter IV), leading to an exploration of life and thought as new problems in physics (Chapter V).

Dynamic equations - again of a strange (but very general) nature - bring about the complex familiarity of the world we live in. Surprising new results in the life sciences open our eyes to the richness of physical thought, and they show us what can and what cannot be explained by a Darwinian approach. The abstract physical approach is applicable to the origins of life, of meaningful information and even of our universe.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Eigen, Manfred

Fachgebiete

• Naturwissenschaften Biowissenschaften Angewandte Biologie Biophysik
• Naturwissenschaften Biowissenschaften Biowissenschaften Evolutionsbiologie
• Naturwissenschaften Biowissenschaften Biochemie (nichtmedizinisch)
• Naturwissenschaften Physik Angewandte Physik Statistische Physik, Dynamische Systeme
• Naturwissenschaften Physik Thermodynamik Festkörperphysik, Kondensierte Materie
• Naturwissenschaften Chemie Chemie Allgemein
• Naturwissenschaften Astronomie Kosmologie, Urknalltheorie
• Mathematik | Informatik EDV | Informatik Informatik
• Naturwissenschaften Physik Angewandte Physik Biophysik

Inhaltsverzeichnis

- 1: Matter and Energy

- 2: Energy and Entropy

- 3: Entropy and Information

- 4: Information and Complexity

- 5: Complexity and Self-Organisation

- Appendix to Chapter 1

- Appendix to Chapter 2

- Appendix to Chapter 3

- Appendix to Chapter 4

- Appendix to Chapter 5

Über Autor(innen)

Manfred Eigen, Max-Planck-Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Gottingen, Germany