Capra argues that at the end of the 20th century we are shifting away from the mechanistic world of Descartes and Newton to a holistic, ecological view. He establishes patterns between ideas from such diverse fields as Buddhism and quantum physics.
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From the Back Cover
Fritjof Capra is at the forefront of the revolution in modern science which has challenged a conventional mechanistic view of the world based on the thinking of Descartes and Newton and brought us towards a holistic, ecological view.
Here, Capra offers a brilliant, radical synthesis of such recent scientific breakthroughs as the theory of complexity, Gaia theory, chaos theory and other explanations of the properties of organisms, social systems and ecosystems. His findings – based on ten years of research and discussion with scientists from around the world – provide an extraordinary new foundation for ecological policies that will allow us to build and sustain communities without diminishing opportunities for future generations, and come closer than ever before to answering the question, 'What is life?'
'This stunning synthesis, by an inspired scientist, draws scientists, experts, and decision makers and concerned citizens into broader multi-disciplinary networks and dialogues about human development and the future of all life on earth'
HAZEL HENDERSON, author of 'The Politics of the Solar Age and Paradigms in Progress'
'Conceptually more extraordinary than anything Capra has yet written … Doctor Capra, indeed, is a physicien de la terre'
JAY GRIFFITHS, 'Guardian'
'An important book, even for someone of Dr Capra's standing … a synthesis of the scientific, the philosophical and the spiritual dimensions of systems thinking'
GRAHAM LAWTON, 'Times Higher Education Supplement'
About the Author
Fritjof Capra received his PhD in theoretical physics from the University of Vienna and has done research in high-energy physics at several European and American universities. Capra has written and lectured extensively about the philosophical implications of modern science and is author of ‘The Tao of Physics’, ‘The Turning Point’ and ‘Uncommon Wisdom’.
Currently Director of the Centre for Ecoliteracy in Berkeley, California, he lives in Berkeley with his wife and daughter.
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First Sentence
This book is about a new scientific understanding of life at all levels of living systems-organisms, social systems, and ecosystems. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index
This book is about a new scientific understanding of life at all levels of living systems-organisms, social systems, and ecosystems. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
126 of 127 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
An articulate, intelligent and thoroughly enjoyable account, Capra has captured the very essence of life, both its complexity and simplicity, and held it up for his readers in a text of stunning clarity. Capra's arguments are engaging and persuasive, without becoming too technical or falling into the trap of preaching.
For anyone who's ever wanted an answer to the question "why are we here?" - this is the book for you. All over the world and down through the many generations of sentient human beings, the quest for an explanation for our existence, one that is acceptable to both scientific and non-scientific people alike, has remained elusive - until now. In "Web of Life", Fritjof Capra presents his "new synthesis" of life - intergrating his own exceptional vision with ideas from the works of such pre-eminent thinkers as Margulis, Lovelock, Maturana and Varela. The product of this ambitious endeavour is a truly remarkable, entertaining and most of all enlightening account of what life is, how it arose, and how it evolved and continues to evolve.
The subject matter is helped enormously by Capra's writing style: captivating, succinct and free of excess technical terminology. He presents his ideas in a logical and compelling manner, providing hooks into deeper source material throughout the text and yet managing to convey the essence of his thoughts into laymen's language for common understanding.
This book will do for human understanding of life and man's place in it what Stephen Hawking's "Brief History of Time" has done for our everyday understanding of the universe. It really is a beautiful work, filled with ideas that will change the way you think about your own life and about the life around you.... Read more ›
For anyone who's ever wanted an answer to the question "why are we here?" - this is the book for you. All over the world and down through the many generations of sentient human beings, the quest for an explanation for our existence, one that is acceptable to both scientific and non-scientific people alike, has remained elusive - until now. In "Web of Life", Fritjof Capra presents his "new synthesis" of life - intergrating his own exceptional vision with ideas from the works of such pre-eminent thinkers as Margulis, Lovelock, Maturana and Varela. The product of this ambitious endeavour is a truly remarkable, entertaining and most of all enlightening account of what life is, how it arose, and how it evolved and continues to evolve.
The subject matter is helped enormously by Capra's writing style: captivating, succinct and free of excess technical terminology. He presents his ideas in a logical and compelling manner, providing hooks into deeper source material throughout the text and yet managing to convey the essence of his thoughts into laymen's language for common understanding.
This book will do for human understanding of life and man's place in it what Stephen Hawking's "Brief History of Time" has done for our everyday understanding of the universe. It really is a beautiful work, filled with ideas that will change the way you think about your own life and about the life around you.... Read more ›
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
A marvellous book, first recommended to me by a friend. Now I have bought it for my son, because I believe that he will thoroughly enjoy Capra's very interesting insights into how we have developed our understanding of life, in all its dimensions. Highly recommended.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By A reader
Format:Paperback
As systems theory is the basis for engineering, operations research, biology and physics, it is easy for the layman to get confused. Here Capra does a magnificent job in giving a popular overview of systems theory by using the biology lens although suggesting systems of differential equations (dynamic systems theory) as the general approach that will make systems comprehendable within all practical fields, such as engineering, management, biology and physics. Capra also tires to add a moral to the proceedings, making sustainabiliy one of the key issues. A very nice book indeed.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I bought this book months ago and I still haven't finished reading it. I've found I can't just gobble it up like most books - I have to stop and think and digest and get my head around a different conception of reality. It's not that it's hard to understand (although I have to admit I struggled a little with some of the more scientific chapters), it's just that it takes a lot of digesting and it's full of deeply satisfying 'aha' moments when you get a glimpse of the awesomely amazing interconnectedness of everything. And you just want to sit and contemplate the implications of what you're learning before taking more information in.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By annie frame
Format:Paperback
This book is a must read for anyone interested in the depth of life. Not a one for anyone wanting to know if their numbers will come up on the bingo/lottery or if Mr/Mrs Right/Wrong is on the horizon. The Web of Life effortlessly educates the reader, thanks to an author with natural insight and plenty brain juice. Not only did I re-read parts, because of the magnetic dialogue used, I tucked them in my mind for future reference. Capra is an author with lots to say and what he does say to his readers is priceless.
3 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
A phenomenal read, truly inspirational. The scope of the subject matter covered and the holistic framework presented for understanding "Life" in its most expansive and interdependent sense is breathtaking. So much to take in, so much food for thought - its like seeing the most complex jigsaw puzzle magically come into focus before your eyes; Capra takes you on a journey that traverses the evolution of the frontiers of science & philosophy, helping us understand how early systems thinking, information theory and cybernetics have laid the foundations for ecological systems theory; elaborating a conceptual framework for defining a "living system" that entails the self-organisation patterns of autopoiesis; the dissipative structures that are evidenced in the non-linear mathematics of complexity and chaos theory and how they combine together with the process of cognition - all of which form the holistic framework that underpins the interdependent reality espoused in Gaia Theory. In order to bring together such a coherent ontology Capra applies his gimlet eyed scrutiny to the most salient aspects of scientific & philosophical determinism represented by the likes of Darwin, Newton and Einstein et al, and the Cartesian dogma of Descartes, by honing in on and dissecting the assumptions inherent within their formulations to reveal fundamental flaws that exist within both classical and quantum physics.... Read more ›
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Must read!
An excellent book describing how could world turn up side down if we dont care about it! Highly recommend it to everyone!
Published on 5 Nov 2010 by mre29
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It is obne of the best ones
I need to find this book of Capra in spanish. Would you please help me? Thanks,
Published on 3 July 1999
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