Posted by
Roger Critchlow-2 on
Aug 07, 2010; 7:53pm
URL: http://friam.383.s1.nabble.com/entropy-and-uncertainty-REDUX-tp5375070p5384316.html
Introducing another thread, the measure of diversity used in ecology
is Shannon's entropy.
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http://www.semcoop.com/book/9780226562261---------------------
Biology's First Law: The Tendency for Diversity and Complexity to
Increase in Evolutionary Systems (Paperback)
Description
Life on earth is characterized by three striking phenomena that demand
explanation: adaptation—the marvelous fit between organism and
environment; diversity—the great variety of organisms; and
complexity—the 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 law—the 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.
About the Author
Daniel W. McShea is Associate Professor of Biology, with a secondary
appointment in Philosophy, and Robert N. Brandon is Professor of
Philosophy, with a secondary appointment in Biology, both at Duke
University.
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