Skip to main content Accessibility help

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.

Close cookie message
×
  1. Home
  2. Books
  3. Complexity and the Arrow of Time
  • Cited by 65
Publisher:
Cambridge University Press
Online publication date:
July 2013
Print publication year:
2013
Online ISBN:
9781139225700
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139225700
Subjects:
History of Science and Technology, Physics and Astronomy, History, History, Philosophy and Foundations of Physics
Information

Book description

There is a widespread assumption that the universe in general, and life in particular, is 'getting more complex with time'. This book brings together a wide range of experts in science, philosophy and theology and unveils their joint effort in exploring this idea. They confront essential problems behind the theory of complexity and the role of life within it: what is complexity? When does it increase, and why? Is the universe evolving towards states of ever greater complexity and diversity? If so, what is the source of this universal enrichment? This book addresses those difficult questions, and offers a unique cross-disciplinary perspective on some of the most profound issues at the heart of science and philosophy. Readers will gain insights in complexity that reach deep into key areas of physics, biology, complexity science, philosophy and religion.

Reviews

‘The emergence of complex systems after the Big Bang, from a Universe that started out in a very simple state, is one of the great puzzles of science. This book provides the best single-volume insight into the nature of this puzzle, and hints at its possible resolution. It may be the answer to life, the Universe, and everything.’

John Gribbin - University of Sussex

‘In physics, chemistry and biology, the topic of complexity is, in a word, complicated. This collection is invaluable as an introduction to the many intractable open questions this subject raises, such as how best to define complexity, and how, why and if it increases.’

Jeremy Butterfield - University of Cambridge

'… fascinating lines of thought …'

Daniel McShea Source: Science

'This work is essential reading for researchers in almost every philosophy- or theory-based field. It exposes the universe as a 'quantum computer' from which meaning can be found only through intradisciplinary and interdisciplinary thinking … Highly recommended.'

J. A. van Reenen Source: Choice

Refine List

Actions for selected content:

Select all | Deselect all
  • View selected items
  • Export citations
  • Download PDF (zip)
  • Save to Kindle
  • Save to Dropbox
  • Save to Google Drive

Save Search

You can save your searches here and later view and run them again in "My saved searches".

Please provide a title, maximum of 40 characters.
Cancel
×

Contents

Contents

Metrics

Altmetric attention score

Full text views

Total number of HTML views: 0
Total number of PDF views: 0 *
Loading metrics...

Book summary page views

Total views: 0 *
Loading metrics...

* Views captured on Cambridge Core between #date#. This data will be updated every 24 hours.

Usage data cannot currently be displayed.