04688nam 22007455 450 991039275390332120200702222237.03-319-20660-510.1007/978-3-319-20660-8(CKB)3710000000460481(EBL)3568039(SSID)ssj0001546678(PQKBManifestationID)16141331(PQKBTitleCode)TC0001546678(PQKBWorkID)14796386(PQKB)10371157(DE-He213)978-3-319-20660-8(MiAaPQ)EBC3568039(PPN)188458794(EXLCZ)99371000000046048120150805d2015 u| 0engur|n|---|||||txtccrClosing Human Evolution: Life in the Ultimate Age /by Ladislav Kováč1st ed. 2015.Cham :Springer International Publishing :Imprint: Springer,2015.1 online resource (134 p.)SpringerBriefs in Evolutionary Biology,2192-8134Description based upon print version of record.3-319-20659-1 Includes bibliographical references at the end of each chapters and index.Prelude -- First movement. Life as a cosmic imperative -- Second movement. Evolutionary uniqueness of humans -- Third movement -- The ultimate optimism: Finitics -- Finale.This volume analyses the evolution of humankind by combining approaches from science and the arts. It offers a novel perspective on the evolution of life on Earth, based on a recent reformulation of the second law of thermodynamics in terms of the “maximum entropy production principle.” In essence, the Earth is but one of many “white holes” in the universe, where life functions as a specific arrangement for the rapid dissipation of energy gradients by generating self-organized structures. Evolution of life in the universe is a creative process of increasing complexity as a Bayesian ratchet of knowledge accumulation, advancing in an evolutionary maze characterized by myriad blind alleys. On Earth, the human species has progressed more than any other by creating artefacts that have become both agents and products of in our cumulative cultural evolution. Culture has dramatically enhanced the rate of dissipation of energy gradients. Extrapolating from the acceleration of cultural evolution suggests that humanity will reach the Civilization Singularity in the middle of the 21st century, a point in time at which the rate of changes, and hence their unpredictability and uncontrollability, will converge to infinity. Humankind has now entered the ultimate age, in which the exuberance and splendour of human feats may be metaphorically likened to fireworks. The author highlights a new role of scientists as intellectuals who can create “music for the fireworks” by analysing the consequences of the astounding dynamics in order to make the closing phase of human evolution a sublime one marked by minimal political and social tensions.SpringerBriefs in Evolutionary Biology,2192-8134Evolutionary biologySociophysicsEconophysicsBiology—PhilosophyLife sciencesPhilosophy and social sciencesEvolutionary Biologyhttps://scigraph.springernature.com/ontologies/product-market-codes/L21001Data-driven Science, Modeling and Theory Buildinghttps://scigraph.springernature.com/ontologies/product-market-codes/P33030Philosophy of Biologyhttps://scigraph.springernature.com/ontologies/product-market-codes/E34010Popular Life Scienceshttps://scigraph.springernature.com/ontologies/product-market-codes/Q25000Philosophy of the Social Scienceshttps://scigraph.springernature.com/ontologies/product-market-codes/E36000Evolutionary biology.Sociophysics.Econophysics.Biology—Philosophy.Life sciences.Philosophy and social sciences.Evolutionary Biology.Data-driven Science, Modeling and Theory Building.Philosophy of Biology.Popular Life Sciences.Philosophy of the Social Sciences.570Kováč Ladislavauthttp://id.loc.gov/vocabulary/relators/aut704106BOOK9910392753903321Closing Human Evolution: Life in the Ultimate Age2504825UNINA