Addy Pross - What Is Life? : How Chemistry Becomes Biology in DJV, PDF, FB2
9780199641017 English 0199641013 In his famous 1944 text "What is Life?" Erwin Schr dinger pointed out how strange living systems appeared to be when viewed from a strictly physical standpoint. All living systems are highly organized and the emergence of these organized systems would seem to contradict the most basic tenets of physics and chemistry, which say that systems tend toward chaos and disorder. What is even more remarkable is that despite dramatic developments in molecular biology in the half century since Schr dinger's remarks, we still don't understand what life is or how it relates to the inanimate world. In addressing Schrodinger's classic question, renowned scientist Addy Pross offers a radically new approach to these fundamental questions of biology--what is life and how did it emerge. Pross examines these issues from a chemical perspective, providing a new understanding of how the sciences of chemistry and biology relate to one another. Pross shows that recent developments in a new area of chemistry called "systems chemistry" now allow researchers to outline the chemistry-biology connection, shedding light on how and why some prebiotic chemical systems are able to make the magical transformation from inanimate to animate. Through the application of these simple chemical concepts, this book reveals the essence of the animate-inanimate connection, explains the strange properties of living systems in chemical terms, and offers profound new insights into classical biological issues, such the mechanism and driving force for evolution and the origin of altruism. Pross reveals that the emergence of life on earth and classical Darwinian theory are intimately related--that Darwinian theory is just the biological expression of a more general chemical principle, one that Darwin himself predicted would likely be uncovered in time., In his famous 1944 text "What is Life?" Erwin Schrodinger pointed out how strange living systems appeared to be when viewed from a strictly physical standpoint. All living systems are highly organized and the emergence of these organized systems would seem to contradict the most basic tenets of physics and chemistry, which say that systems tend toward chaos and disorder. What is even more remarkable is that despite dramatic developments in molecular biology in the half century since Schrodinger's remarks, we still don't understand what life is or how it relates to the inanimate world. In addressing Schrodinger's classic question, renowned scientist Addy Pross offers a radically new approach to these fundamental questions of biology--what is life and how did it emerge. Pross examines these issues from a chemical perspective, providing a new understanding of how the sciences of chemistry and biology relate to one another. Pross shows that recent developments in a new area of chemistry called "systems chemistry" now allow researchers to outline the chemistry-biology connection, shedding light on how and why some prebiotic chemical systems are able to make the magical transformation from inanimate to animate. Through the application of these simple chemical concepts, this book reveals the essence of the animate-inanimate connection, explains the strange properties of living systems in chemical terms, and offers profound new insights into classical biological issues, such the mechanism and driving force for evolution and the origin of altruism. Pross reveals that the emergence of life on earth and classical Darwinian theory are intimately related--that Darwinian theory is just the biological expression of a more general chemical principle, one that Darwin himself predicted would likely be uncovered in time., In his famous 1944 text "What is Life?" Erwin Schr�dinger pointed out how strange living systems appeared to be when viewed from a strictly physical standpoint. All living systems are highly organized and the emergence of these organized systems would seem to contradict the most basic tenets of physics and chemistry, which say that systems tend toward chaos and disorder. What is even more remarkable is that despite dramatic developments in molecular biology in the half century since Schr�dinger's remarks, we still don't understand what life is or how it relates to the inanimate world. In addressing Schrodinger's classic question, renowned scientist Addy Pross offers a radically new approach to these fundamental questions of biology--what is life and how did it emerge. Pross examines these issues from a chemical perspective, providing a new understanding of how the sciences of chemistry and biology relate to one another. Pross shows that recent developments in a new area of chemistry called "systems chemistry" now allow researchers to outline the chemistry-biology connection, shedding light on how and why some prebiotic chemical systems are able to make the magical transformation from inanimate to animate. Through the application of these simple chemical concepts, this book reveals the essence of the animate-inanimate connection, explains the strange properties of living systems in chemical terms, and offers profound new insights into classical biological issues, such the mechanism and driving force for evolution and the origin of altruism. Pross reveals that the emergence of life on earth and classical Darwinian theory are intimately related--that Darwinian theory is just the biological expression of a more general chemical principle, one that Darwin himself predicted would likely be uncovered in time., Seventy years ago, Erwin Schrodinger posed a profound question: 'What is life, and how did it emerge from non-life?' This problem has puzzled biologists and physical scientists ever since. Living things are hugely complex and have unique properties, such as self-maintenance and apparently purposeful behaviour which we do not see in inert matter. So how does chemistry give rise to biology? What could have led the first replicating molecules up such a path? Now, developments in the emerging field of 'systems chemistry' are unlocking the problem. Addy Pross shows how the different kind of stability that operates among replicating molecules results in a tendency for chemical systems to become more complex and acquire the properties of life. Strikingly, he demonstrates that Darwinian evolution is the biological expression of a deeper, well-defined chemical concept: the whole story from replicating molecules to complex life is one continuous process governed by an underlying physical principle. The gulf between biology and the physical sciences is finally becoming bridged., Seventy years ago, Erwin Schrodinger posed a simple, yet profound, question: "What is life?". How could the very existence of such extraordinary chemical systems be understood? This problem has puzzled biologists and physical scientists both before, and ever since.Living things are hugely complex and have unique properties, such as self-maintenance and apparently purposeful behaviour which we do not see in inert matter. So how does chemistry give rise to biology? Did life begin with replicating molecules, and, if so, what could have led the first replicatingmolecules up such a path? Now, developments in the emerging field of "systems chemistry" are unlocking the problem. Addy Pross shows how the different kind of stability that operates among replicating entities results in a tendency for certain chemical systems to become more complex and acquire theproperties of life. Strikingly, he demonstrates that Darwinian evolution is the biological expression of a deeper and more fundamental chemical principle: the whole story from replicating molecules to complex life is one continuous coherent chemical process governed by a simple definable principle.The gulf between biology and the physical sciences is finally becoming bridged., What is life and how did it emerge from non-life? Living forms are made up of the same 'dead' atoms and molecules as inanimate forms. Yet, unlike inanimate matter, living things reproduce, maintain themselves, and behave purposefully. What gives life this unique character-a character we routinely take for granted? Erwin Schr�dinger's famous book powerfully articulated these questions back in the 1940s. However, without understanding the process by which life came to be, we cannot hope to fully understand what life is. Yet, the question of how such a complex form as even the simplest bacterium could arise from inanimate beginnings, has remained obstinately out of reach. Now, the emerging field of systems chemistry may finally be giving us insights into the most profound question of the life sciences. And as Addy Pross shows in this compelling and important book, the principle by which life can arise turns out to be other than a deeper, more fundamental chemical expression of Darwinian evolution. Book jacket.
9780199641017 English 0199641013 In his famous 1944 text "What is Life?" Erwin Schr dinger pointed out how strange living systems appeared to be when viewed from a strictly physical standpoint. All living systems are highly organized and the emergence of these organized systems would seem to contradict the most basic tenets of physics and chemistry, which say that systems tend toward chaos and disorder. What is even more remarkable is that despite dramatic developments in molecular biology in the half century since Schr dinger's remarks, we still don't understand what life is or how it relates to the inanimate world. In addressing Schrodinger's classic question, renowned scientist Addy Pross offers a radically new approach to these fundamental questions of biology--what is life and how did it emerge. Pross examines these issues from a chemical perspective, providing a new understanding of how the sciences of chemistry and biology relate to one another. Pross shows that recent developments in a new area of chemistry called "systems chemistry" now allow researchers to outline the chemistry-biology connection, shedding light on how and why some prebiotic chemical systems are able to make the magical transformation from inanimate to animate. Through the application of these simple chemical concepts, this book reveals the essence of the animate-inanimate connection, explains the strange properties of living systems in chemical terms, and offers profound new insights into classical biological issues, such the mechanism and driving force for evolution and the origin of altruism. Pross reveals that the emergence of life on earth and classical Darwinian theory are intimately related--that Darwinian theory is just the biological expression of a more general chemical principle, one that Darwin himself predicted would likely be uncovered in time., In his famous 1944 text "What is Life?" Erwin Schrodinger pointed out how strange living systems appeared to be when viewed from a strictly physical standpoint. All living systems are highly organized and the emergence of these organized systems would seem to contradict the most basic tenets of physics and chemistry, which say that systems tend toward chaos and disorder. What is even more remarkable is that despite dramatic developments in molecular biology in the half century since Schrodinger's remarks, we still don't understand what life is or how it relates to the inanimate world. In addressing Schrodinger's classic question, renowned scientist Addy Pross offers a radically new approach to these fundamental questions of biology--what is life and how did it emerge. Pross examines these issues from a chemical perspective, providing a new understanding of how the sciences of chemistry and biology relate to one another. Pross shows that recent developments in a new area of chemistry called "systems chemistry" now allow researchers to outline the chemistry-biology connection, shedding light on how and why some prebiotic chemical systems are able to make the magical transformation from inanimate to animate. Through the application of these simple chemical concepts, this book reveals the essence of the animate-inanimate connection, explains the strange properties of living systems in chemical terms, and offers profound new insights into classical biological issues, such the mechanism and driving force for evolution and the origin of altruism. Pross reveals that the emergence of life on earth and classical Darwinian theory are intimately related--that Darwinian theory is just the biological expression of a more general chemical principle, one that Darwin himself predicted would likely be uncovered in time., In his famous 1944 text "What is Life?" Erwin Schr�dinger pointed out how strange living systems appeared to be when viewed from a strictly physical standpoint. All living systems are highly organized and the emergence of these organized systems would seem to contradict the most basic tenets of physics and chemistry, which say that systems tend toward chaos and disorder. What is even more remarkable is that despite dramatic developments in molecular biology in the half century since Schr�dinger's remarks, we still don't understand what life is or how it relates to the inanimate world. In addressing Schrodinger's classic question, renowned scientist Addy Pross offers a radically new approach to these fundamental questions of biology--what is life and how did it emerge. Pross examines these issues from a chemical perspective, providing a new understanding of how the sciences of chemistry and biology relate to one another. Pross shows that recent developments in a new area of chemistry called "systems chemistry" now allow researchers to outline the chemistry-biology connection, shedding light on how and why some prebiotic chemical systems are able to make the magical transformation from inanimate to animate. Through the application of these simple chemical concepts, this book reveals the essence of the animate-inanimate connection, explains the strange properties of living systems in chemical terms, and offers profound new insights into classical biological issues, such the mechanism and driving force for evolution and the origin of altruism. Pross reveals that the emergence of life on earth and classical Darwinian theory are intimately related--that Darwinian theory is just the biological expression of a more general chemical principle, one that Darwin himself predicted would likely be uncovered in time., Seventy years ago, Erwin Schrodinger posed a profound question: 'What is life, and how did it emerge from non-life?' This problem has puzzled biologists and physical scientists ever since. Living things are hugely complex and have unique properties, such as self-maintenance and apparently purposeful behaviour which we do not see in inert matter. So how does chemistry give rise to biology? What could have led the first replicating molecules up such a path? Now, developments in the emerging field of 'systems chemistry' are unlocking the problem. Addy Pross shows how the different kind of stability that operates among replicating molecules results in a tendency for chemical systems to become more complex and acquire the properties of life. Strikingly, he demonstrates that Darwinian evolution is the biological expression of a deeper, well-defined chemical concept: the whole story from replicating molecules to complex life is one continuous process governed by an underlying physical principle. The gulf between biology and the physical sciences is finally becoming bridged., Seventy years ago, Erwin Schrodinger posed a simple, yet profound, question: "What is life?". How could the very existence of such extraordinary chemical systems be understood? This problem has puzzled biologists and physical scientists both before, and ever since.Living things are hugely complex and have unique properties, such as self-maintenance and apparently purposeful behaviour which we do not see in inert matter. So how does chemistry give rise to biology? Did life begin with replicating molecules, and, if so, what could have led the first replicatingmolecules up such a path? Now, developments in the emerging field of "systems chemistry" are unlocking the problem. Addy Pross shows how the different kind of stability that operates among replicating entities results in a tendency for certain chemical systems to become more complex and acquire theproperties of life. Strikingly, he demonstrates that Darwinian evolution is the biological expression of a deeper and more fundamental chemical principle: the whole story from replicating molecules to complex life is one continuous coherent chemical process governed by a simple definable principle.The gulf between biology and the physical sciences is finally becoming bridged., What is life and how did it emerge from non-life? Living forms are made up of the same 'dead' atoms and molecules as inanimate forms. Yet, unlike inanimate matter, living things reproduce, maintain themselves, and behave purposefully. What gives life this unique character-a character we routinely take for granted? Erwin Schr�dinger's famous book powerfully articulated these questions back in the 1940s. However, without understanding the process by which life came to be, we cannot hope to fully understand what life is. Yet, the question of how such a complex form as even the simplest bacterium could arise from inanimate beginnings, has remained obstinately out of reach. Now, the emerging field of systems chemistry may finally be giving us insights into the most profound question of the life sciences. And as Addy Pross shows in this compelling and important book, the principle by which life can arise turns out to be other than a deeper, more fundamental chemical expression of Darwinian evolution. Book jacket.