Author Description
This book introduces both physical and biological scientists to important thermodynamic and kinetic interpretations of living systems that involve major conceptual developments in the application of physio-chemical ideas. A concluding discusion relates these developments to other widely canvassed ideas that have been recently applied to living systems, including thermodynamic aspects of evolution, informaton theory, and hierarchy and the question of reductionism.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This text investigates the thermodynamic and kinetic principles that govern the structural and functional organization of living systems. A. R. Peacocke, a noted scholar in the intersection of physical science and biology, synthesizes complex physical chemistry concepts to explain how biological systems maintain order. The work provides a rigorous framework for understanding life through the lens of physical laws, bridging the gap between molecular interactions and macroscopic biological phenomena.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Thermodynamic interpretations of biological systems and metabolic processes
- Kinetic models applied to cellular organization and molecular interactions
- Analysis of information theory in the context of biological complexity
- Discussion on hierarchy, reductionism, and the thermodynamics of evolutionary processes
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Experts recognize this work as a foundational text for those seeking to understand the physical basis of biological organization. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which requires a strong background in physical chemistry to fully grasp the theoretical arguments presented.
Page Count:
302
Publication Date:
1984-01-19
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0198553595
ISBN-13:
9780198553595
Science
Chemistry
Thermodynamics
Biophysics
Biology
Chemistry Physical
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