The Nature of Life: Classic and Contemporary Perspectives from Philosophy and Science
Cambridge University Press, 5/31/2010
EAN 9780521517751, ISBN10: 0521517753
Hardcover, 440 pages, 25.3 x 19.4 x 2.4 cm
Language: English
Bringing together the latest scientific advances and some of the most enduring subtle philosophical puzzles and problems, this book collects original historical and contemporary sources to explore the wide range of issues surrounding the nature of life. Selections ranging from Aristotle and Descartes to Sagan and Dawkins are organised around four broad themes covering classical discussions of life, the origins and extent of natural life, contemporary artificial life creations and the definition and meaning of 'life' in its most general form. Each section is preceded by an extensive introduction connecting the various ideas discussed in individual chapters and providing helpful background material for understanding them. With its interdisciplinary perspective, this fascinating collection is essential reading for scientists and philosophers interested in astrobiology, synthetic biology and the philosophy of life.
Preface
Acknowledgments
Sources
About the authors
Introduction
Part I. Classical Discussions of Life
1. De Anima (selections) Aristotle
2. Treatise on Man René Descartes
3. Critique of the Teleological Power of Judgment (selections) Immanuel Kant
4. What is Life? (selections) Erwin Schrödinger
5. The nature of life Alexander Oparin
6. What is the meaning of 'life'? Ernst Mayr
7. The Principles of Life (selections) Tibor Gánti
Part II. The Origin and Extent of Natural Life
8. The origin of life
a review of facts and speculation Leslie E. Orgel
9. Small molecule interactions were central to the origin of life Robert Shapiro
10. Are the different hypotheses on the emergence of life as different as they seem? Iris Fry
11. The universal nature of biochemistry Norman Pace
12. Is there a common chemical model for life in the universe? Steven A. Benner, Alonso Ricardo and Matthew A. Carrigan
13. Searching for life in the universe
lessons from Earth Kenneth H. Nealson
14. The possibility of alternative microbial life on Earth Carol E. Cleland and Shelley D. Copley
15. Introduction to the limits of organic life in planetary systems National Research Council of the National Academies
Part III. Artificial Life and Synthetic Biology
16. Learning from functionalism
prospects for strong artificial life Elliott Sober
17. Life, 'artificial life', and scientific explanation Marc Lange
18. Alien life
how would we know? Margaret A. Boden
19. Automatic design and manufacture of robotic life forms Hod Lipson and Jordan P. Pollack
20. A giant step towards artificial life? David Deamer
21. Approaches to semi-synthetic minimal cells
a review Pier Luigi Luisi, Francesca Ferri and Pasquale Stano
22. Creating 'real life' Evelyn Fox Keller
Part IV. Defining and Explaining Life
23. Definitions of life Carl Sagan
24. The seven pillars of life Daniel E. Koshland
25. A universal definition of life
autonomy and open-ended evolution Kepa Ruiz-Mirazo, Juli Pereto and Alvaro Moreno
26. Does 'life' have a definition? Carol Cleland and Christopher Chyba
27. Sentient symphony Lynn Margulis and Dorion Sagan
28. Defining life Kim Sterelny and Paul Griffiths
29. Universal Darwinism Richard Dawkins
30. What is life? Was Schrödinger right? Stuart A. Kauffman
31. Four puzzles about life Mark A. Bedau
Supplemental bibliography on life
Index.