Review by Booklist Review
Two prominent scientists explain the latest theories about integrative systems of life. Capra's The Tao of Physics (1991) has been hailed as pioneering and invaluable; his newest book will serve as an equally important introduction to the "emerging theory of living systems." As anyone who follows science knows, we are in the midst of a profound paradigm shift from a mechanistic focus on the working "parts" of the universe to attempts to comprehend the whole. Capra tracks the course of this growing recognition of the "web of life," of the interconnectedness of all life processes, by taking us through one cogent explanation after another of such complicated and intriguing topics as the development of cybernetics, the Gaia hypothesis and its connection to deep ecology, the mathematics of complexity and chaos theories, and, venturing out into ever more rarefied territory, the latest theories of cognition, which state that "mind is not a thing but a process--the very process of life." Unlike Capra, Dawkins, author of The Blind Watchmaker (1987) and River Out of Eden (1995), is a classic Darwinist. Here he has created a metaphorical Mount Improbable to help explain the process of evolution. One of the main sticking points in accepting the theory of natural selection is believing that randomness, or chance, could possibly lead to the evolution of something as sophisticated as, for instance, the eye. Dawkins explains that Darwinism is "not a theory of random chance. It is a theory of random mutation plus non-random cumulative natural selection." The cumulative aspect is where the mountain comes in. Dawkins illustrates how improbability combined with nature's drive toward perfection resulted in the evolution of such wonders as spider webs, wings, shells, and the incredible symbiotic world enclosed within each and every fig. It's all quite complicated, but even at his most detailed and demanding, Dawkins is always graspable and illuminating. --Donna Seaman
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In his bestsellers, The Tao of Physics and The Turning Point, physicist Capra charted a paradigm shift from a mechanistic to an ecological worldview. In his new book, a rewarding synthesis that will challenge serious readers, he claims that a comprehensive theory of living systems is now emerging. Applicable to cells, chemical structures, people, ecosystems and social systems, such a theory flows from deep ecology (which assumes humanity's embeddedness in nature's processes), systems thinking and the new mathematics of complexity. Capra identifies a pattern of organization common to all living systems, characterized by internal feedback loops and self-organizing behavior. His own theorizing builds upon the work of important scientists, including American microbiologist Lynn Margulis and British atmospheric chemist James Lovelock, the co-founders of the Gaia hypothesis, who see planet Earth as a living, self-regulating organism. Capra also draws from the work of Chilean neuroscientists Francisco Varela and Humberto Maturana, whose theory of autopoiesis ("self-making") defines organisms as "network patterns" whose components continually transform one another. Extrapolating from ecosystems research, he sets forth guidelines for building sustainable human communities based on interdependence, cyclical flow of resources, partnership and conflict resolution. Illustrated. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review
In previous books (The Tao of Physics, Shambhala, 1991; Belonging to the Universe, LJ 2/1/92), Capra was never timid about expounding grand, scientific/philosophical theories of the physical universe. Now, he offers this sweeping discourse on the life sciences. Incorporating elements from such contemporary schools of thought as the Gaia hypothesis, deep ecology, complexity theory, systems theory, and even eco-feminism, Capra herein pronounces a new synthesis that integrates all into a single conceptual context. Many of these ideas are still being developed, though, and many disputes remain unresolved. Advocates will find Capra's theories intellectually and spiritually satisfying. Others will quibble; some will rage. For this to become a true synthesis, it must gain consensus, which will be difficult. Regardless, this book is breathtakingly ambitious and certain to generate response. Public and academic libraries will need it.Gregg Sapp, Univ. of Miami Lib., Coral Gables, Fla. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
The acclaimed author of The Tao of Physics puts modern biology and ecology under his revisionist scrutiny. Capra's whole approach is based on the premise that earlier schools of science falsely attempted to force their subjects into mechanistic, easily quantifiable models, in opposition to the holistic awareness of today's scientific revolutionaries. Systems thinking and fractal geometry replace traditional analytical tools and methods. In biological terms, this means abandoning the traditional emphasis on the cell as a fundamental building block of life. Instead, the modern cell emerges as a symbiotic partnership between a number of formerly independent entities, now playing the roles of nucleus, mitochondria, ribosomes, chloroplasts, and so forth. Indeed, the emphasis on cooperation is a keynote of Capra's vision. The Gaia hypothesis, in which Earth itself is seen as a single self-regulating biological entity, plays a large role in his vision. Likewise, he believes that the Darwinian vision of struggle for survival aided by chance mutations is refuted by the discovery that microorganisms can in effect cooperate by passing genetic material from one to another across species lines--a discovery that he feels calls into question the entire notion of separate species. But Capra pushes his thesis too eagerly and with too little attention to mundane details. A reader up on the subject will catch him in innumerable small errors (for example, he seems unaware that most biologists see modern apes not as human ancestors but as collateral descendants of a common ancestor). He likes to replace well-established terminology with new jargon, much of it rather condescending; readers of a book like this are unlikely to need him to substitute ``southern ape'' for the scientific term Australopithecus. He too often states sweeping and unprovable assumptions--such as that Cro-Magnons possessed ``fully developed language''--as fact. Surveys a great deal of fascinating ground, but from the standpoint of a true believer rather than of an objective explorer. (Author tour)
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