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"Kauffman has done more than anyone else to supply the key missing piece of the propensity for self-organization that can join the random and the deterministic forces of evolution into a satisfactory theory of life's order."--Stephen Jay Gould, Harvard University
"Stuart Kauffman lucidly argues that, in addition to Darwinian selection, another force, the emergence of self-organized order from apparent chaos determines the beautiful systems that make up the world and cosmos. He contends that emergent order is a feature of many complex systems and general laws that may be defined from their study. It is an exciting and well-written volume."--Barry Blumberg, Fox Chase Cancer Research Center and Nobel Laureate
"Every once in a while, you read a book so powerful and with such a radical view that you realize your world is changed forever....Kauffman is a pioneer of the new science of complexity, which sees in the world of nature an inner force of its own, not mystical but scientifi --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Complexity theory is one of the most controversial areas of current scientific research. Developing out of chaos theory, complexity suggests that there are hidden tendencies in nature to select ordered states, even when statistically they are vastly outnumbered by chaotic possibilities: that there is a deep natural impulse towards order, counteracting the degenerative tendencies of the Second Law of Thermodynamics. Like chaos, complexity is a multidisciplinary area of research and those involved include physicists, economists and biologists. This is a study of complexity.
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Out my window, just west of Santa Fe, lies the near spiritual landscape of northern New Mexico-barrancas, mesas, holy lands, the Rio Grande-home to the oldest civilization in North America. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Out my window, just west of Santa Fe, lies the near spiritual landscape of northern New Mexico-barrancas, mesas, holy lands, the Rio Grande-home to the oldest civilization in North America. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
An eye-opener on how closely certain mathematical models can reproduce, or mimic, real life behaviour. Kauffman describes and discusses the complex behaviour exhibited by autocatalytic sets - webs of interacting chemicals and catalysts (real and simulated), individually with simple behaviour and rules of interaction, but en masse producing complex systems with non-trivial reactions to environment and other systems.
This leads naturally into a discussion of evolution where we are treated to a more refined, but perhaps less real-world, discussion of the mechanics of evolution than that provided by more popular authors (e.g. Dawkins). Kauffman describes evolution not only as a process of natural selection, but also as the interaction of complex systems with their environments, discussing how single systems or entire species may move around and interactively modify fitness landscapes to acquire the highest peaks. These necessarily general models are convincingly tied to specific, real-world examples, and the result is a clear impression of a fast developing field with relevance to real life, the extent of that relevance remaining to be seen.
Unsurprisingly, the book ends up somewhat speculative, but unfortunately chooses to direct this speculation at economics. The writing occasionally becomes somehwat "gee gosh darn". And while I'm on petty complaints, I found the occasional stabs at human interest to be distracting and unnecessary, but that's a common problem with popular science writing.
Finally, I don't think this is the kind of book to change lives. Interesting, certainly, occasionally surprising, and full of fairly new ideas, but I found that Kauffman repeatedly stopped short of saying anything really profound. Yes, "we the expected" is a fascinating concept so why _end_ the chapter with it? Likewise, the "invisible hand" is a leading analogy, then so what...? Fundamentally, I think the book sits firmly on the fence when it comes to religion, or lack thereof, other reviewers notwithstanding.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Other reviewers already sang praises to the concepts and the ideas contained in this book, and I have nothing to add other than my agreement. BUT! The book would have been improved no end by some ruthless editing. The opening chapters in particular are immensely repetitive. The style is very uneven, sometimes apparently aiming at readers with no technical knowledge (and a minuscule attention span), while in other places packing ideas to such density that even a fairly informed reader can start gasping for breath.
I made the mistake of reading it on holidays, with no access to a computer. Big mistake! I kept wanting to program, to check out what the author was saying, to try variants and elaborations. I.e. to have lots of hands-on fun -- it's that sort of a book and I can think of no higher recommendation. But please, oh please, somebody introduce Kaufman to a good editor!
I made the mistake of reading it on holidays, with no access to a computer. Big mistake! I kept wanting to program, to check out what the author was saying, to try variants and elaborations. I.e. to have lots of hands-on fun -- it's that sort of a book and I can think of no higher recommendation. But please, oh please, somebody introduce Kaufman to a good editor!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
What a brain! We often look (up) to physicists to explain those aspects of our world which were once the proper purview of religion. Here is a biologist whose ideas must be taken in that same breath. This is a book whose ideas are truly profound. Mr. Kauffman reframed the way I conceptualized everything from myself, to society, the business cycle and biological evolution. In another era, this would be a spiritual text, a moving book which would alter the way we look at the world and ourselves. A reader with a background in literary theory or economics will find intriguing connections between classical theories of market economics and also the work of Derrida. To be honest, the prose can be trying at moments, but I imagine the text reads like Kauffman thinks...swiftly. In a way, this is a good thing, because the book forces you to slow down and think. You will scribble in the margins for hours, doting on and questioning his ideas about self-reproducting and organzing phenomenon and the notion that all complex systems evolve on the edge between stasis and chaos. Put simply: Read this book.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Breathtaking glimpse of new scientific thinking
This is an astonishing book which explores the nature of self organising processes and their role in the origins of life. At its heart is a profound question. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Steven Unwin
Enthusiastic complexity theory
An eye-opener on how closely certain mathematical models can reproduce, or mimic, real life behaviour. Read more
Published on 10 Dec 2000
absolutely excellent
This book will change your life! The first decent account of evolution that I have read. Every biologist should read this, but the principles of complexity are so far reaching that... Read more
Published on 26 Jan 2000
Science discovers truth
The new scientific discoveries of 'self-organisation' in the cosmos leaves the theist's exited claim of 'intelligent design' hollow. Read more
Published on 8 July 1999
A good book
I 've got some interesting ideas. However, some chapters exploit much of the recurring theme and are boring.
Published on 5 Jun 1999
Excellent for thinkers of all disciplines, great value.
No matter from what direction you may come from, this book builds a clear, heartening, view of our position in the universe. Read more
Published on 31 Oct 1998
Excellent book!
Unlike many recent authors who write books just to show off, Kauffman is one of those authors that wants to teach, to convey his ideas to the world. Read more
Published on 14 May 1998
A new metaphor!
"Evolution" is the ubiquitous metaphor of our days. Kauffman ideas go further: there is something else that leads the systems to achieve higher levels of complexity. Read more
Published on 26 Mar 1998
Excellent new vision of evolution of life and society
This book explores how life and its evolution may be the inevitable consequences of the way the universe works. Read more
Published on 29 Mar 1997
Excellent, thought provoking thoughts on order and evolution
I wrote more notes in the margins, turned over more page corners, and underlined more material in this book than any other in my library. Read more
Published on 10 Mar 1997
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