(1st) Large book, black boards, very bright gilt lettering on spine, 192 pages. Chapters include: What is life, Creating Life in the Laboratory, The Evolution of Complexity, Artificial Life and more. DJ colorfully illustrated beneath mylar with beads and tubes on front, black spine and back. DJ and book, both Very Fine.

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Bibliographic Details

Title

Artificial Worlds : Computers, Complexity and the Riddle of Life

Publisher

Plenum Trade

Publication Date

1999

Language

English

ISBN 10

0306460025

ISBN 13

9780306460029

Binding

Hardcover

Edition

First Edition

Condition

Fine

Dust Jacket Condition

Very Fine

Seller catalogs

Science

About this title

Synopsis

In their laboratories, complexity scientists have been experimenting with complex chemicals that display some of the characteristics of life, and have created electronic computer-virus-like life-forms that are born, die, reproduce, mutate, and evolve. Through these artificial worlds they have actually been able to monitor evolution as it happens, since it takes place at a much more rapid pace within a computer - where new species can evolve in as little as an hour. Among the phenomena that these scientists hope to observe are the evolution of multicellular life forms, and possibly even the evolution of electronic intelligence. Could it be that life itself is an emergent property that arises spontaneously when a chemical system attains a certain degree of complexity? At the cutting edge of discovery, this exciting new branch of science has fostered a rare and intriguing dialogue between innovators across a broad range of disciplines, from mathematicians, computer scientists, and economists, to anthropologists and biologists. Richard Morris makes this major field of inquiry accessible to a popular readership as never before, while he reveals its potential to solve the greatest of all questions to puzzle humankind - what is life?

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Store Description

Selling by mail order directly to customers, bookdealers and collectors from an inventory of more than 40,000 books, strong in literature, history, Native American and Vietnam Conflict. All defects seen are stated: a microtear or micronick is a defect smaller than 1/16 of an inch, but visible.

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Callaghan Books South
FL, U.S.A.

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