At Home in the Universe : The Search for the Laws of Self-Organization and Complexity

A major scientific revolution has begun, a new paradigm that rivals Darwin's theory in importance. At its heart is the discovery of the order that lies deep within the most complex of systems, from the origin of life, to the workings of giant corporations, to the rise and fall of great civilizations. And more than anyone else, this revolution is the work of one man, Stuart Kauffman, a MacArthur Fellow and visionary pioneer of the new science of complexity. Now, in __At Home in the Universe__, Kauffman brilliantly weaves together the excitement of intellectual discovery and a fertile mix of insights to give the general reader a fascinating look at this new science--and at the forces for order that lie at the edge of chaos. We all know of instances of spontaneous order in nature--an oil droplet in water forms a sphere, snowflakes have a six-fold symmetry. What we are only now discovering, Kauffman says, is that the range of spontaneous order is enormously greater than we had supposed. Indeed, self-organization is a great undiscovered principle of nature. But how does this spontaneous order arise? Kauffman contends that complexity itself triggers self-organization, or what he calls "order for free," that if enough different molecules pass a certain threshold of complexity, they begin to self-organize into a new entity--a living cell. Kauffman uses the analogy of a thousand buttons on a rug--join two buttons randomly with thread, then another two, and so on. At first, you have isolated pairs; later, small clusters; but suddenly at around the 500th repetition, a remarkable transformation occurs--much like the phase transition when water abruptly turns to ice--and the buttons link up in one giant network. Likewise, life may have originated when the mix of different molecules in the primordial soup passed a certain level of complexity and self-organized into living entities (if so, then life is not a highly improbable chance event, but almost inevitable). Kauffman uses the basic insight of "order for free" to illuminate a staggering range of phenomena. We see how a single-celled embryo can grow to a highly complex organism with over two hundred different cell types. We learn how the science of complexity extends Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection: that self-organization, selection, and chance are the engines of the biosphere. And we gain insights into biotechnology, the stunning magic of the new frontier of genetic engineering--generating trillions of novel molecules to find new drugs, vaccines, enzymes, biosensors, and more. Indeed, Kauffman shows that ecosystems, economic systems, and even cultural systems may all evolve according to similar general laws, that tissues and terra cotta evolve in similar ways. And finally, there is a profoundly spiritual element to Kauffman's thought. If, as he argues, life were bound to arise, not as an incalculably improbable accident, but as an expected fulfillment of the natural order, then we truly are at home in the universe. Kauffman's earlier volume, __The Origins of Order__, written for specialists, received lavish praise. Stephen Jay Gould called it "a landmark and a classic." And Nobel Laureate Philip Anderson wrote that "there are few people in this world who ever ask the right questions of science, and they are the ones who affect its future most profoundly. Stuart Kauffman is one of these." In __At Home in the Universe__, this visionary thinker takes you along as he explores new insights into the nature of life. \*\* Amazon.com Review The best treatment I have yet encountered about how order emerges naturally -- and possibly even necessarily -- out of chaos. Profoundly important, and considerably more informed than better-known pop-science treatments of chaos theory. Very highly recommended. Review "Courageous....I guarantee that any reader whose imagination has survived an academic education--or has never been exposed to one--will learn a lot, and be changed forever."--Ian Stewart, __Nature__ "A new and far-reaching theory of order in the universe, introduced by a pioneer in that theory's development."--__The Washington Post Book World__ "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, author of __The Panda's Thumb__

A major scientific revolution has begun, a new paradigm that rivals Darwin's theory in importance. At its heart is the discovery of the order that lies deep within the most complex of systems, from the origin of life, to the workings of giant corporations, to the rise and fall of great civilizations. And more than anyone else, this revolution is the work of one man, Stuart Kauffman, a MacArthur Fellow and visionary pioneer of the new science of complexity. Now, in At Home in the Universe, Kauffman brilliantly weaves together the excitement of intellectual discovery and a fertile mix of insights to give the general reader a fascinating look at this new science—and at the forces for order that lie at the edge of chaos.
We all know of instances of spontaneous order in nature—an oil droplet in water forms a sphere, snowflakes have a six-fold symmetry. What we are only now discovering, Kauffman says, is that the range of spontaneous order is enormously greater than we had supposed. Indeed, self-organization is a great undiscovered principle of nature. But how does this spontaneous order arise? Kauffman contends that complexity itself triggers self-organization, or what he calls "order for free," that if enough different molecules pass a certain threshold of complexity, they begin to self-organize into a new entity—a living cell. Kauffman uses the analogy of a thousand buttons on a rug—join two buttons randomly with thread, then another two, and so on. At first, you have isolated pairs; later, small clusters; but suddenly at around the 500th repetition, a remarkable transformation occurs—much like the phase transition when water abruptly turns to ice—and the buttons link up in one giant network. Likewise, life may have originated when the mix of different molecules in the primordial soup passed a certain level of complexity and self-organized into living entities (if so, then life is not a highly improbable chance event, but almost inevitable). Kauffman uses the basic insight of "order for free" to illuminate a staggering range of phenomena. We see how a single-celled embryo can grow to a highly complex organism with over two hundred different cell types. We learn how the science of complexity extends Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection: that self-organization, selection, and chance are the engines of the biosphere. And we gain insights into biotechnology, the stunning magic of the new frontier of genetic engineering—generating trillions of novel molecules to find new drugs, vaccines, enzymes, biosensors, and more. Indeed, Kauffman shows that ecosystems, economic systems, and even cultural systems may all evolve according to similar general laws, that tissues and terra cotta evolve in similar ways. And finally, there is a profoundly spiritual element to Kauffman's thought. If, as he argues, life were bound to arise, not as an incalculably improbable accident, but as an expected fulfillment of the natural order, then we truly are at home in the universe.
Kauffman's earlier volume, The Origins of Order, written for specialists, received lavish praise. Stephen Jay Gould called it "a landmark and a classic." And Nobel Laureate Philip Anderson wrote that "there are few people in this world who ever ask the right questions of science, and they are the ones who affect its future most profoundly. Stuart Kauffman is one of these." In At Home in the Universe, this visionary thinker takes you along as he explores new insights into the nature of life.

Booknews

According to MacArthur fellow Kauffman (Santa Fe Institute), "[T]he order of the biological world...is not merely tinkered, but arises naturally and spontaneously because of underlying principles of self- organization." These principles may be employed to analyze all manner of highly-involved patterns, from molecular biology, the rise and fall of corporations, to the intricate workings of government. Kauffman outlines the characteristics and potential uses of complexity, simply delineating its meaning for the future of scientific thought. For general readers. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

A Major Scientific Revolution Has Begun, A New Paradigm That Rivals Darwin's Theory In Importance. At Its Heart Is The Discovery Of The Order That Lies Deep Within The Most Complex Of Systems, From The Origin Of Life, To The Workings Of Giant Corporations, To The Rise And Fall Of Giant Civilizations. And More Than Anyone Else, This Revolution Is The Work Of One Man, Stuart Kauffman, A Macarthur Fellow And Visionary Pioneer Of The New Science Of Complexity. Now, In At Home In The Universe, Kauffman Brilliantly Weaves Together The Excitement Of Intellectual Discovery And A Fertile Mix Of Insights To Give The General Reader A Fascinating Look At This New Evidence - And At The Forces For Order That Lie At The Edge Of Chaos. What We Are Now Only Discovering, Kauffman Says, Is That The Range Of Spontaneous Order Is Enormously Greater Than We Had Supposed And, In Fact, Self-organization Is A Great Undiscovered Principle Of Nature. He Contends That Complexity Itself Triggers Self-organization - What Kauffman Calls Order For Free - And That If Enough Different Sized Molecules Pass A Certain Threshold Of Complexity, They Begin To Self-organize Into A New Entity: A Living Cell. In Turn, Kauffman Extends This New Paradigm To Economic And Cultural Systems, Showing That All May Evolve According To Similar General Laws. An Exciting Exploration Into The Nature Of Life, At Home In The Universe Provides Stunning Insights Into A New Scientific Revolution. -- From Back Cover. At Home In The Universe -- Origins Of Life -- We The Expected -- Order For Free -- Mystery Of Ontogeny -- Noah's Vessel -- Promised Land -- High-country Adventures -- Organisms And Artifacts -- Hour Upon The Stage -- In Search Of Excellence -- Emerging Global Civilization. Stuart Kauffman. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [305]-306) And Index. This exciting exploration into the nature of life brilliantly weaves together the excitement of intellectual discovery and a fertile mix of insights to give the general reader a fascinating look at the new science of complexity--and at the forces for order that lie at the edge of chaos. "An important new argument".--Carl Sagan, The Washington Post. 59 illustrations 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.