Deep Simplicity: Bringing Order to Chaos and ComplexityOver the past two decades, no field of scientific inquiry has had a more striking impact across a wide array of disciplines–from biology to physics, computing to meteorology–than that known as chaos and complexity, the study of complex systems. Now astrophysicist John Gribbin draws on his expertise to explore, in prose that communicates not only the wonder but the substance of cutting-edge science, the principles behind chaos and complexity. He reveals the remarkable ways these two revolutionary theories have been applied over the last twenty years to explain all sorts of phenomena–from weather patterns to mass extinctions. Grounding these paradigm-shifting ideas in their historical context, Gribbin also traces their development from Newton to Darwin to Lorenz, Prigogine, and Lovelock, demonstrating how–far from overturning all that has gone before–chaos and complexity are the triumphant extensions of simple scientific laws. Ultimately, Gribbin illustrates how chaos and complexity permeate the universe on every scale, governing the evolution of life and galaxies alike. |
Contents
Order out of Chaos | 3 |
The Return of Chaos | 40 |
Chaos out of Order | 74 |
From Chaos to Complexity | 110 |
Earthquakes Extinctions and Emergence | 145 |
The Facts of Life | 187 |
Life Beyond | 214 |
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asteroid atmosphere atoms attractor behavior box of gas calculations Cantor set carbon dioxide cell chemical clouds complex connections daisies Daisyworld described developed Earth earthquakes edge of chaos Edward Lorenz effect energy entropy equations equilibrium evolution evolutionary evolve example extinctions feedback fitness landscape forecasting fractal Gaia Galaxy gases genes going grains gravity happens heat ice age idea infinite insight interactions involved iteration Jupiter Kauffman kind Koch curve landscape less look Lorenz Lorenz attractor Lovelock Mars mathematical mathematicians Maxwell's equations million molecules moving Newton's laws nodes noise obeys a power object orbit particles pattern phase space physical planets Poincaré Poincaré section population power law predict produced punctuated equilibrium random real world sandpile scale self-organized self-organized critical simple single Solar System species square stars step surface temperature theory thermodynamics things tion trajectory Turing Universe weather