1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910783225803321

Autore

Avery John <1933->

Titolo

Information theory and evolution [[electronic resource] /] / John Avery

Pubbl/distr/stampa

River Edge, NJ, : World Scientific Pub., 2003

ISBN

1-281-87684-4

9786611876845

981-256-445-4

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (233 p.)

Disciplina

576.8

Soggetti

Evolution (Biology)

Information theory in biology

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Note generali

Description based upon print version of record.

Nota di bibliografia

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Nota di contenuto

Preface; Acknowledgements; Contents; Chapter 1 PIONEERS OF EVOLUTIONARY THOUGHT; Chapter 2 CHARLES DARWIN'S LIFE AND WORK; Chapter 3 MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION; Chapter 4 STATISTICAL MECHANICS AND INFORMATION; Chapter 5 INFORMATION FLOW IN BIOLOGY; Chapter 6 CULTURAL EVOLUTION AND INFORMATION; Chapter 7 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY; Chapter 8 BIO-INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY; Chapter 9 LOOKING TOWARDS THE FUTURE; Appendix A ENTROPY AND INFORMATION; Appendix B BIOSEMIOTICS; Index

Sommario/riassunto

This highly interdisciplinary book discusses the phenomenon of life,including its origin and evolution (and also human culturalevolution), against the background of thermodynamics, statisticalmechanics, and information theory. Among the central themes is theseeming contradiction between the second law of thermodynamics and thehigh degree of order and complexity produced by living systems.