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Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
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. Steven Jay Gould
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 in a satisfactory theory of life's order. Booknews, Inc. , November 1, 1995
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 copyright Book News, Inc. Portland, Or. --This text refers to the hardcover edition of this title Midwest Book Review
Biological order comes from underlying principles of self-organization which may be used to analyze and reveal all forms of patterns, from biology to human functions. Kauffman’s new theory extends evolutionary thinking, suggesting that patterns and systems arise spontaneously and provide foundations for biological advancement at all levels. --This text refers to the hardcover edition of this title
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First glimpses of the new horizon
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Reviewer:
A reader
from Holland
December 10, 1999
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As is clear from Kaufmann's description of autocatalytic processes, natural processes DO show the type of organization and complexity that are very often thought to be characteristic of Life. What Kaufmann says, is that the physics and chemistry of evolution imply criticality, i.e. situations in which suddenly a system 'jumps' into a higher level organized state. His laws of complexity are laws in the sense of 'chemical laws', which are not laws in addition to those of physics, but rather higher level descriptions of chemical regularities which find their ultimate explanation in physics. Kaufmann shows that the WAY in which evolution works may involve concepts that have yet to be fully appreciated; evolutionary biology is a science, not a devine revelation, and therefore develops, sometimes with small steps, sometimes with big revolutions. Some views expressed in the past about HOW evolution works, are overturned by newer insights; so what, that is what makes science interesting! Kaufmann's message, is that there are relatively new insights into the physics and chemistry of complex systems which will come to play a big role in evolutionary biology; this message provides further support for the concept of evolution, rather than undermining it. The coming decades (biology is complex) are guaranteed to be mighty interesting! Darwin did bring the origin of Life into the reach of the natural sciences; he may be forgiven for not having said the last word on it.
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Pretty good exploration of complexity
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Reviewer:
A reader
from Midwest
October 11, 1999
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This is a good exploration of the notions of complexity, and explores Kauffmans notions of self organizing systems and autocatalytic networks. He should have touched on the increasing of the complexity of organisms through random mutation for more improbable genes. He does touch on organism complexity lightly, but it is too cursory to give the book 5 stars. (I am biased I guess). Where is the section on bifurcating dissipative phenomena? And on analyzing the state vector of systems without using entropy partitions? Overall the book is a good read and introduction to Kauffmans own special take on complexity.
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1 people found this review helpful.
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Awe inspiring
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Reviewer:
A reader
from United States
October 9, 1999
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The fact that the laws which Kauffman seeks and explains in this book are merely theories that are yet to be proven is not the issue which would make Darwinists nervous here. Rather it is the fact that materialist's contemporary theories such as natural selection simply fall short of explaining the species of the natural world - hence theories such as Kauffman's are necessarily being sought after. In his books 'The Origins of Order' and 'At Home in the Universe', Kauffman has done more than anyone else to supply the key missing piece for self-organization that can join the random and the deterministic forces of evolution into a satisfactory theory of life's order. Unfortunately, the said key piece happens to make the theistic view more plausible than the Neo-Darwinists' view. For this reason, not everyone will wish to accompany Kauffman, but the description of the trip is significant, and should not be ignored.
--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
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2 people found this review helpful.
1 did not.
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Ok, ok, you kids settle down!
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Reviewer:
A reader
from USA
September 23, 1999
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DON’T MAKE ME TURN THIS HYPERCYCLE AROUND! The laws that Kauffman seeks are far from evident. The subtitle of this book promises The Search for the Laws of Self-Organization and Complexity. But the search comes up empty. Kauffman admits that he is searching for laws he has yet to find. My search was equally unfruitful: from where comes Kauffman's confidence that such laws even exist? In Darwin’s Dangerous Idea, Darwinian gradualist Daniel Dennett seems to rather easily brush aside Kauffman’s theories. I’m not saying that Dennett is right, for although Dennett and Kauffman can’t both be right, they may both be wrong. I’m saying only that the displays of superstitious awe of this book are, to be kind, premature. It is fascinating and original but after reading it, do you even know the definition of complexity? And now moving from the complex to the simple, a few thoughts on questions raised and thoughts expressed below. I can’t speak for creationists but I’d guess their lack of response (or interest) is due to the fact that there is really nothing here to rebut. In that same vein, you can’t invoke imaginary laws, no matter how thrilling, to disprove Behe’s irreducibility argument, or anyone else’s argument for that matter. The rather irate response from the ultra-materialist viewpoint is well stated by “T.” a few reviews back. Boy, talk about existing on the edge of chaos.
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2 people found this review helpful.
0 did not.
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