- Paperback: 256 pages
- Publisher: Phoenix; New edition edition (6 Sep 2001)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0753812703
- ISBN-13: 978-0753812709
- Product Dimensions: 19.2 x 13 x 2 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 832,058 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Complexity theory is destined to be the dominant scientific trend of the last decade. But what is it? It is the unifying theory which states that at the root of all complex systems lie a few simple rules. This revolutionary technique can explain any kind of complex system - multinational corporations, or mass extinctions, or ecosystems such as rainforests, or human consciousness. All are built on the same few rules. In Roger Lewin's immensely readable study the leading Complexity theorists tell the story in their own words. None of the sciences can ever be the same again.
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First Sentence
The climb was short but steep, more of a scramble really. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
The climb was short but steep, more of a scramble really. 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
28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent popular summary of critical state theory.,
By A Customer
This review is from: Complexity: Life at the Edge of Chaos (Paperback)
This book is a fine introductory volume to the science of chaos maths and critical state theory. While it has a slight tendency to over-simplify issues in order to communicate with a popular audience, it cannot be faulted in range of reference and relevance. For any non-scientist, this would be an excellent introduction to this fascinating area of study.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Not all that complicated,
By
This review is from: Complexity: Life at the Edge of Chaos (Paperback)
Rather triumphally, the blurb for Roger Lewin's new book describes the author as "arguably the best professional science journalist in the English-speaking world". Times may have moved on since this book's publication in 1993, but it is difficult to credit that claim on the strength of its contents. In Complexity: Life at the Edge of Chaos Roger Lewin fails to do many of the basic things that science reporting really ought to do. Like clearly expounding the theory in the first place.Lewin starts with a long chapter on the remains of a civilisation at Chaco Canyon, New Mexico. It is designed, I suppose, to exemplify the kernel of complexity theory. In an effort to be entertaining Lewin resorts to New Journalist techniques, recounting the hike into the canyon and even pausing to recount an episode of hayfever. This opening passage thus feels decidedly padded, and after ten pages (of a 200 page book) yields as its first dividend: "the phenomenon that may link these disparate worlds [being chemistry, physics, biology, economics and so on], including what propelled Chaco Canyon along its unique history, is called complexity". Come again? Lewin thereafter sketches what he means by complexity airily: that "dynamical" systems (can scientists resist elaborating for the sake of it - isn't the word "dynamic"?) will tend to behave, at an abstract level, in predictable ways: that the universe of evolutionary design space is constrained - heavily constrained, even - by architecture of a given ecosystem. At least, that's what I deduce him to be saying because whatever shape the book started out with is quickly lost as Lewin gallops around the leading academics in the evolutionary design space: Richard Dawkins, E. O. Wilson, Daniel Dennett, Stephen Jay Gould, Roger Penrose are among a host of names whose views are canvassed. Given the differences of opinion amongst them - in some cases, animosities run deep - it should be little surprise that the there of complexity Lewin sets out to describe remains elusive. In the nearly 20 years since its publication there has been much literature about Evolution, but less talk of complexity, and while there are some interesting asides and snippets in this brief book, most of the interesting material in it - game theory, Conway's Game of Life, emergence, evolution and so on, have been covered more comprehensively and more recently by the academics Lewin mentions in this book. Olly Buxton
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Amazing,
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This review is from: Complexity: Life at the Edge of Chaos (Paperback)
Having read Chaos by James Gleick this book was recommended in the pages of Physics World magazine as a sort of follow up and it didn't disappoint. Gave me a lot to think about.
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