Biology's First Law
The Tendency for Diversity and Complexity to Increase in Evolutionary Systems
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Biology's First Law
The Tendency for Diversity and Complexity to Increase in Evolutionary Systems
About This Book
Life on earth is characterized by three striking phenomena that demand explanation: adaptationâthe marvelous fit between organism and environment; diversityâthe great variety of organisms; and complexityâthe enormous intricacy of their internal structure. Natural selection explains adaptation. But what explains diversity and complexity? Daniel W. McShea and Robert N. Brandon argue that there exists in evolution a spontaneous tendency toward increased diversity and complexity, one that acts whether natural selection is present or not. They call this tendency a biological lawâthe Zero-Force Evolutionary Law, or ZFEL. This law unifies the principles and data of biology under a single framework and invites a reconceptualization of the field of the same sort that Newton's First Law brought to physics.
Biology's First Law shows how the ZFEL can be applied to the study of diversity and complexity and examines its wider implications for biology. Intended for evolutionary biologists, paleontologists, and other scientists studying complex systems, and written in a concise and engaging format that speaks to students and interdisciplinary practitioners alike, this book will also find an appreciative audience in the philosophy of science.
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Table of contents
- Contents
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- 1. The Zero-Force Evolutionary Law
- 2. Randomness, Hierarchy, and Constraint
- 3. Diversity
- 4. Complexity
- 5. Evidence, Predictions, and Tests
- 6. Philosophical Foundations
- 7. Implications
- Notes
- References
- Index