Information Theory and Evolution

This highly interdisciplinary book discusses the phenomenon of life, including its origin and evolution, against the background of thermodynamics, statistical mechanics, and information theory. Among the central themes is the seeming contradiction between the second law of thermodynamics and the high degree of order and complexity produced by living systems. As the author shows, this paradox has its resolution in the information content of the Gibbs free energy that enters the biosphere from outside sources. Another focus of the book is the role of information in human cultural evolution, which is also discussed with the origin of human linguistic abilities. One of the final chapters addresses the merging of information technology and biotechnology into a new discipline — bioinformation technology.This third edition has been updated to reflect the latest scientific and technological advances. Professor Avery makes use of the perspectives of famous scholars such as Professor Noam Chomsky and Nobel Laureates John O'Keefe, May-Britt Moser and Edward Moser to cast light on the evolution of human languages. The mechanism of cell differentiation, and the rapid acceleration of information technology in the 21st century are also discussed.With various research disciplines becoming increasingly interrelated today, Information Theory and Evolution provides nuance to the conversation between bioinformatics, information technology, and pertinent social-political issues. This book is a welcome voice in working on the future challenges that humanity will face as a result of scientific and technological progress.Contents: Pioneers of Evolutionary ThoughtCharles Darwin's Life and WorkMolecular Biology and EvolutionStatistical Mechanics and InformationInformation Flow in BiologyCultural Evolution and InformationInformation TechnologyPathfindingThe Evolution of Human LanguagesThe Mechanism of Cell DifferentiationBio-Information TechnologyLooking Towards the FutureAppendix A: Entropy And InformationAppendix B: BiosemioticsAppendix C: Entropy And EconomicsIndexReadership: General readers interested in the intersection between information theory and evolution, undergraduates of physics and biology, researchers in bioinformatics.Evolution;Information Theory;Cultural Evolution;Molecular Biology;Darwin;Languages;Cell Differentiation;Statistical Mechanics;Thermodynamics;Biology;Physics;Information Technology;Bio-information Technology;Origin of Life;Pathfinding;Physiology;Histology;Shannon;Computers;Wikipedia;Google'This marvelous book distills diverse knowledge streams into a single coherent scientific narrative explaining the immense diversity of life forms and, even more importantly, of human societies. Lightened by anecdotes and titbits of history, it tells how energy and entropy inexorably drive biological and social evolution from simplicity towards complexity. Through a much-needed gentle introduction to information theory and thermodynamics, success is related to knowledge generation and directing its flow. But global civilization — or what the author calls a human superorganism — may have succeeded too well and so imperiled its own survival. The recommended course corrections are just as important as the rest of the book.' — Pervez HoodbhoyProfessor of PhysicsQuaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan 'Fascinating new primary sources bring John Scales Avery's book Information Theory and Evolution, in third edition. His book builds from Charles Darwin's studies, molecular biology, and thermodynamics. The third edition adds six chapters. Accelerating computation develops Wikipedia and Google effective search engines. A new chapter, The Evolution of Human Languages, comes from world-famous linguistic scientist, Noam Chomsky. He asserts that humans acquired their astonishing linguistic abilities quite suddenly, quite against Darwin. The last chapter, Looking Towards the Future, Avery points to serious problems, especially the threat of catastrophic climate change.' — Prof Dudley HerschbachNobel Laureate in Chemistry, 1986Harvard University, USA
Key Features:
The author, John Scales Avery, is a prolific writer who also wrote the popular first and second editions. He writes from the perspective of an academic well-versed in physics and theoretical chemistry (being his graduate degrees), commenting on the history of science and social issues in the 21st centuryThe book uniquely unites many fields of knowledge to converse with each other: evolutionary theory, molecular biology, information technology and even thermodynamicsThe book contributes to dispel the many objections to evolutionary theory still present in some circlesProvides important perspectives, and also summarizes, developments in the history of science, especially about evolutionary theory and biologyComments on current issues, giving an interesting take since it comes from an interdisciplinary author