From Stars to Brains: Milestones in the Planetary Evolution of Life and Intelligence (eBook)

Andrew Y. Glikson (Autor)

eBook Download: PDF

2019 | 1st ed. 2019
XXIV, 160 Seiten
Springer International Publishing (Verlag)
978-3-030-10603-4 (ISBN)

Infos

The permutation of basic atoms-nitrogen, hydrogen, oxygen, carbon and  phosphorus-into the biomolecules DNA and RNA, subsequently evolved in cells and brains, defining the origin of life and intelligence, remains unexplained. Equally the origin of the genetic information and the intertwined nature of 'hardware' and 'software' involved in the evolution of bio-molecules and the cells are shrouded in mystery. This treatise aims at exploring individual and swarm behaviour patterns which potentially hint at as yet unknown biological principles. It reviews theories of evolution with perspectives from the earth sciences, commencing with the earliest observed records of life. This is followed by reviews and discussion of the building blocks of life, marine and terrestrial communities, the arthropods, birds and finally humans. It is suggested that, further to the mutation/natural selection processes established by Darwin and Wallace, an understanding of the evolution of intelligence remains little understood. A directionality of evolutionary trajectories is evident, not least the purposeful thinking process of humans as well as animals. It is not clear how directional intelligence, manifested for example by the collective intelligence of arthropod colonies, has evolved from mutation/natural selection processes. Potential clues for the understanding of life and evolution are provided by Aristotle's dictum of 'the whole being greater than the sum of the parts', Niels Bohr's principle of quantum complementarity and George Ellis' theory of top-down causality. Inherent in the question of the origin of life is an anthropocentric bias, related to the self-referential Anthropic Principle and theological paradigms of man's supposed dominion over all other species. The Anthropic Principle, however, should be capable of being circumvented using the scientific falsification method, assuming  universal verified constants of physics. The phenomenon of the human mastery of fire and the splitting of the atom, leading to the seventh major mass extinction of species, remains incomprehensible.

Andrew Yoram Glikson, an Earth and paleo-climate scientist at the Australian National University, studied geology at the University of Jerusalem and graduated at the University of Western Australia. He conducted geological surveys of the oldest geological formations in Australia, South Africa, India and Canada, underpinning the effects of large asteroid impacts, including their effects on the atmosphere and oceans and the mass extinction of species. Since 2005 he studied the relations between climate and human evolution.

Inhalt

1. The Building blocks of intelligence1.1 From a singularity to a bio-friendly universe1.2 The second law of thermodynamics1.3 The living enigma1.4 Panspermia and transpermia1.5 Evolution: Charles Darwin and Alfred Wallace2. Milestones in early evolution2.1 Early atmospheres and oceans2.2 Early records of life2.3 Mass extinctions of species 3. From the genetic code to collective brains 3.1 From amino acids to nucleic acids3.2 The intelligent cell3.3 The phylogenetic scheme3.4 Marine and hydrothermal communities3.5 Multicellular and colonial life3.6 Evolution of the eye 4. Intelligent communities4.1 Arthropod civilizations4.2 The world of birds4.3 Fire and the human mind5. Directional thought and evolution5.1 The anthropic principle          5.2 Swarm intelligence and collective minds5.3 Evolution of the brain5.4 The directional thought process                    6. Epilogue—From stars to brains

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 18.2.2019
• Zusatzinfo: XXIV, 160 p. 82 illus., 79 illus. in color.
• Verlagsort: Cham
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Geisteswissenschaften ► Philosophie
• Themenwelt: Naturwissenschaften ► Biologie
• Themenwelt: Naturwissenschaften ► Geowissenschaften ► Geologie
• Themenwelt: Naturwissenschaften ► Physik / Astronomie ► Astronomie / Astrophysik
• Schlagworte: Emergence of Intelligence • Evolution • Origin of complexity in nature • origin of life • Origin of the Biosphere
• ISBN-10: 3-030-10603-9 / 3030106039
• ISBN-13: 978-3-030-10603-4 / 9783030106034