A Third Window: Natural Life Beyond Newton and DarwinTempleton Press, 2009 - 196 Thus far, the dominant paradigms through which modern scientists have viewed nature have been structured primarily around Newtonian and Darwinian approaches. As theoretical ecologist Robert E. Ulanowicz observes in his new work, A Third Window, neither of these models is sufficient for explaining how real change—in the form of creative advance or emergence—takes place in nature. The metaphysical foundations laid by these great thinkers centuries ago are ill suited to sustain today's search for a comprehensive description of complex living systems. Ecosystem dynamics, for example, violate each and every one of the Newtonian presuppositions. Hence, Ulanowicz offers his titular "third window"—a new way of understanding evolution and other natural processes beyond the common mechanistic or materialistic philosophies of nature.Drawing on the writings of Walter Elsasser, Karl Popper, Gregory Bateson, Robert Rosen, and Alfred North Whitehead, as well as his own experience as a theoretical ecologist, Ulanowicz offers a new set of axioms for how nature behaves. Chance and disarray in natural processes are shown to be necessary conditions for real change. Randomness is shown to contribute richness and autonomy to the natural world. The metaphysical implications of these new axioms will lend A Third Window a wide appeal not only among scientists, but also among philosophers, theologians, and general readers who follow the science and religion dialogue. Ulanowicz's fresh perspective adds a new voice to the discussion. |
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... matter and antimatter . For a while , these hadrons were destroyed by collisions with photons about as fast as they appeared . Continued expansion put space between the elementary particles so that matter and antimatter pairs ...
... matter and antimatter . For a while , these hadrons were destroyed by collisions with photons about as fast as they appeared . Continued expansion put space between the elementary particles so that matter and antimatter pairs ...
Strona 145
... matter . One suggestion has been that the precursors of life exist among what only appears to be quiescent matter but actually is already leaning in the direction of life ( Chardin 1966 ) . Most approaches , how- ever , focus on dead matter ...
... matter . One suggestion has been that the precursors of life exist among what only appears to be quiescent matter but actually is already leaning in the direction of life ( Chardin 1966 ) . Most approaches , how- ever , focus on dead matter ...
Strona 167
... matter . Why then forbid any discontinuity between the even more dissimilar realms of life and nonlife ? The answer seems to involve ideol- ogy more than rationality : to allow such discontinuity would be a de facto admission that the ...
... matter . Why then forbid any discontinuity between the even more dissimilar realms of life and nonlife ? The answer seems to involve ideol- ogy more than rationality : to allow such discontinuity would be a de facto admission that the ...
Spis treści
Introduction | 1 |
How Can Things Truly Change? | 40 |
How Can Things Persist? | 57 |
Prawa autorskie | |
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activity agency aleatoric appear assumptions atomism autocatalysis balls Bateson becomes behavior belief biology biosphere calculated causal causes centripetality chance events chapter closure coherent compartment complex chance conditional entropy configurations of processes constraints Darwin Darwinian digraphs dynamics ecological metaphysic ecologists ecosystem effect elements Elsasser Elsasser's emergence Eugene Odum evolution evolutionary example existence feedback Figure flow networks flows fundamental genes genome Gregory Bateson heterogeneous increasing ascendency indeterminacy information theory interactions living systems magnitudes material mathematical matter mechanical metaphysic methodological naturalism molecules muscadine mutual narrative nature Newton Newtonian Newtonian worldview notion Odum outcome particles pathways periphyton perspective phenomena physical physicists Popper possible postulate preadaptations process ecology propensities quantify quantum radical rational reader realm reductionism remain result role Rutledge scenario scientific selection simple structure suggested swim bladders theists thermodynamics third window tion tive transcendental Ulanowicz 1986 Utricularia Walter Elsasser weighted digraphs wicz zooplankton