The Web of Life: A New Scientific Understanding of Living SystemsDuring the past twenty-five years, scientists have challenged conventional views of evolution and the organization of living systems and have developed new theories with revolutionary philosophical and social implications. Fritjof Capra has been at the forefront of this revolution. In The Web of Life, Capra offers a brilliant synthesis of such recent scientific breakthroughs as the theory of complexity, Gaia theory, chaos theory, and other explanations of the properties of organisms, social systems, and ecosystems. Capra's surprising findings stand in stark contrast to accepted paradigms of mechanism and Darwinism and provide an extraordinary new foundation for ecological policies that will allow us to build and sustain communities without diminishing the opportunities for future generations.[from the publisher]. |
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LibraryThing Review
User Review - qgil - LibraryThingA highly inspiring book, providing an overview of the trends in several interconnected fields, from geology and microbiology to physics and sociology. I enjoyed The Tao of Physics years ago just as much as I have enjoyed this one these days. Read full review
THE WEB OF LIFE: A New Scientific Understanding of Living Systems
User Review - KirkusThe 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 ... Read full review
Other editions - View all
The Web of Life: A New Scientific Understanding of Living Systems Fritjof Capra Limited preview - 1997 |
The Web of Life: A New Scientific Understanding of Living Systems Fritjof Capra No preview available - 1996 |
Common terms and phrases
According activity animals atmosphere attractors autopoietic bacteria basic Bateson became become beginning behavior biologists biology body brain called cells century changes characteristic chemical closed cognition communities complex components concept continually created cybernetics cycles defined describe detailed developed dissipative structures early Earth ecology elements emerge energy entire environment equations equilibrium evolution evolutionary evolved example exist experience fact feedback loops Figure flow genes human idea important increasing interactions involves known language later living organisms living systems Lovelock Margulis mathematical matter Maturana means mechanism mental million mind motion nature nonlinear objects pattern phase phenomena physical plants Prigogine problem produce properties question relationships result scientific scientists self-organization shift shows social space species structure theory thinking tion transformation turn types understanding values Varela whole
Bibliographic information
| Title | The Web of Life: A New Scientific Understanding of Living Systems Anchor books |
| Author | Fritjof Capra |
| Edition | illustrated |
| Publisher | Anchor Books, 1996 |
| Original from | the University of Michigan |
| Digitized | Jan 27, 2010 |
| ISBN | 0385476752, 9780385476751 |
| Length | 347 pages |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |