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Synopsis
In an elegant and lucid style, complexity theorist James N. Gardner proposes that life and intelligence have not emerged in a series of random Darwinian accidents, but are hardwired into the cycle of cosmic creation, evolution, death and rebirth. Originally presented in peer-reviewed scientific journals, Gardner's theory further proposes that our universe has been deliberately engineered to promote life and intelligence and, in fact, requires life and intelligence in order to mediate the reproduction of the cosmos after the Big Crunch. This book is an introduction to the leading cosmologists and evolutionary thinkers.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Format:Paperback
Probably the most important idea to surface in the last 30 years. Amazing that I am the first person reviewing it. This book requires that you understand the problems raised by cosmological anthropic principle (read Martin Rees - Just Six Numbers), concerning the weird level of fine tuning in the universe. Gardner's solution is innovative, obvious and important. This is a vital book which deserves to be widely read by anyone interested in what our universe actually is and why it is as it is. I have two criticisms: 1. His imagination seems limited to computational and temporal consciousness - a small quibble really, but it is limiting (same problem as Kurtzweil) and 2. That he really should have got a professional book designer and editor - it looks homemade and he repeats himself.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
13 reviews
12 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Universal Darwinism?
14 Aug 2003
Format:Paperback
If you like to explore provocative ideas, then you will enjoy Biocosm. Gardner begins by arguing that a strong version of the Anthropic Principal is required to account for the goodness of fit between the physical parameters of our current universe, and the parameters required for the evolution of intelligent life. He builds on Lee Smolin?s hypothesis (The Life of the Cosmos) that our current universe is the product of a long evolutionary history that has favored universes that could produce baby universes (in the form of black holes) and these same parameters are also favorable for intelligent life. Gardner points out (correctly) that Smolin's hypothesis does not explain how such baby universes inherit the parameters of their mothers, and then offers a provocative solution. It is our future intelligent progeny that program the physical laws into future universes (as they have in the past). This is Gardner's Selfish Biocosm Hypothesis (SB). Gardner rejects Linde's "eternal chaotic inflation" plus a weak version of the anthropic principal (ECI&WA) but it appears to me that Gardner needs Linde's idea to produce the FIRST universe with intelligent life. After that, SB might work. However, if ECI&WA is needed to get SB off the ground, then SB is no longer useful, since ECI&WA alone can account for the apparent goodness of fit between the parameters of the physical universe and the parameters necessary for intelligent life. Despite my concerns, I believe Gardner's book is worth reading because it addresses some of the critical issues and constraints that confront any acceptable theory of cosmic origins.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Best Answer yet to Anthropic Cosmological Principle
1 Jan 2009
Format:Paperback
There have been various attempts to explain the Anthropic Cosmological Principle, from a "weak" version, advocated by those who argue that only those universes with observers are known, and as our universe has observers, the constants have to be those that permit observers. The "strong" version was explored by Frank Tipler, John Wheeler and John Barrow in "The Anthropic Principle", which suggests that rather than making humans being the purpose of the universe, it is to evolve the functional equivalent of the divine. Lee Smolin, in "Life in the Universe" proposes that universes, through black holes can create daughter universes, and that if this is the case the universe that maximises black holes will quickly statistically outnumber the others. This book avoids the weakness of the book by Tipler, that shows "a Big Crunch" will not happen, and puts life firmly at the centre of Cosmos, unlike Smolin.
Books like this are rare and precious. Garner is not presenting theology, yet the book lends itself to theological outcomes. Such a book would allow the fusion, after a centuries long divorse, of science and religion, without compromising either. I highly recommend it.
Books like this are rare and precious. Garner is not presenting theology, yet the book lends itself to theological outcomes. Such a book would allow the fusion, after a centuries long divorse, of science and religion, without compromising either. I highly recommend it.
13 of 19 people found the following review helpful
Biocosm radically changes our model of existence
16 Aug 2003
Format:Paperback
Every once in awhile a science book hits the market that has the power to forever change the public's perception of our existence. Books like Stephen Hawking's A Brief History of Time and Brian Greene's The Elegant Universe presented concepts so unique that they forced us all to take a big gulp and digest bold new thoughts about our existence.
James Gardner's Biocosm falls into this category. This book takes a fresh look at everything we know about life and the universe and makes us think in a radical new way. Ultimately, the importance of books like this lie not in the details of their theories (which are ultimately superseded by others) but in their power to help humanity grasp what we are and how we came to be. If the question of existence is a priority for you then you must read Biocosm.
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