This volume investigates the fundamental question of whether biological phenomena such as evolution, ecological dynamics, and the origin of life can be synthesized and studied within non-biological, computational media. The editors, including Christopher G. Langton and J. Doyne Farmer, compile research from the 1990 Santa Fe workshop to establish a framework for 'artificial life' as a legitimate scientific discipline. By examining life as it could be rather than just life as we know it, the contributors argue that computational modeling provides a unique window into the universal principles of complex systems.

Experts recognize this volume as a foundational text that documents the early maturation of the artificial life field. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which serves as a primary reference for researchers interested in the historical development of complex systems science.