The Collapse of Chaos: Discovering Simplicity in a Complex World (Penguin Press Science) [Paperback]

Jack Cohen (Author), Ian Stewart (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 1995 | ISBN-10: 0140178740 | ISBN-13: 978-0140178746

Moving on from his books on chaos ("Does God Play Dice?") and symmetry ("Fearful Symmetry"), the author of this book deals with the wider field of complexity theory. The book tackles the question of how complexity arises in nature, of how life overcomes chaos and entropy to create developing order. Co-written with biologist Jack Cohen, the book will range across the central areas of modern science, from quantum mechanics and cosmology to evolution and intelligence, looking at the central questions of order, chaos, reductionism and complexity.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

One step onto this ontological escalator with British biologist Cohen and British mathematician Stewart ( Does God Play Dice? ) and readers will zoom right to the metaphysical floor, where science displays its most basic assumptions. In the last 10 years, scientific thought has been marked by frequent paradigm shifts--from classical laws to chaos theory and complexity. In the first half of this book, the authors attempt to review the quantum world for general readers, an effort that is frequently undercut by their playful approach, e.g., a conversation about the organization of development between Augusta Ada, Lord Byron's daughter and "a founding figure in computer science," and Wallace Lupert, a fictitious modern biologist. Moving on to examine the basis for a belief in simplicity, they introduce two new concepts: simplexity and complicity. The former refers to the tendency of a simpler order to emerge from complexity, the latter is a kind of interaction between coevolving systems that supports a tendency toward complexity. The authors, hoping to challenge orthodoxy and to stimulate thought, confound rather than clarify.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

First there was chaos theory, best described in James Gleick's Chaos: The Making of a New Science ( LJ 8/87); then came complexity theory, the subject of Roger Lewin's Complexity: Life at the Edge of Chaos ( LJ 9/1/92). Perhaps the next inevitable unifying theory of science to emerge is simplicity. Whereas the former two schools of thought seek philosophical congruences between divergent trends in modern science, simplicity, as conceived by Cohen and Stewart (a reproductive biologist and a mathematician, respectively), goes farther to examine the underlying physical reasons why these unities exist. This is a cleverly written, whirlwind tour of science that stretches the mind and, in a few places, strains credulity. Still, the authors freely admit that they are being speculative, and they invite their readers to accompany them upon their intellectual journey. Mind benders like this book usually appeal to a rather small but fanatical readership. Mid-sized public and undergraduate libraries should consider it.
- Gregg Sapp, Montana State Univ. Libs., Bozeman
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 512 pages
• Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics) (April 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140178740
• ISBN-13: 978-0140178746
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,280,535 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thorough, February 16, 2001

By 

Tom Douglas (Marlow) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Collapse of Chaos: Discovering Simplicity in a Complex World (Penguin Press Science) (Paperback)

The title of this book is slightly misleading, as it implies it is about chaos, complexity and simplicity.

In fact the first half of the book is a guided tour of biology, chemisty and physics. Covering how these great sciences got where they are today, from Newton to Darwin, DNA to the lattice structure of diamonds.

The second half then presents a new way to look at science. Rather then delving inside something to find underlying rules, we should view things in context.

For example, traditionally the law of gravity is seen as the underlying principle that explains planetary motion. Cohen and Stewart argue that it is just a rule (of thumb?) that fits the facts, and that there is no LAW of gravity.

It seems a subtle distinction, but on reading this book it is quite an important one, and it has certainly given me a different view of the world.

Very intelligent and always interesting, this book is written for the layman and is always at pains to explains matters thoroughly and use every possible analogy to help get ideas across.

This book is worth twice the money for the first half alone - a perfect primer for those interested in science, but who dont want to get technical.

Cohen and Stewart are high level experts in their respective fields, and yet they write simply and lucidly, resulting in a desire to read further.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Modern Science 101 - a readable, eye-opening survey course, March 15, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: The Collapse of Chaos: Discovering Simplicity in a Complex World (Penguin Press Science) (Paperback)

In their preface, Jack Cohen and Ian Stewart describe this book as "a streamlined introduction to the central preoccupations of modern science." The concepts of chaos, complexity, and simplicity are central to the book; they are presented without jargon and with marvelous analogies and examples. Much of the discussion of complexity focuses on life, especially human life and human intelligence. An especially useful concept they introduce is the "brain pun," the human brain's tendency to see similarity (bird wings and bat wings) and infer causality or relationship.

This book is remarkable in how much it teaches the intelligent layperson. For example, frog DNA is more complicated than ours because it incorporates so many instructions to the tadpole on how to mature under a wide range of temperature conditions. Human embryos don't need an instruction book with a huge chapter entitled "Coping with Temperature Changes," because we initially grow in the marvelously temperature-controlled environment of the womb. Did you know that? I didn't.

Speaking of instruction books - Cohen and Stewart clearly show that the instruction book metaphor for DNA is flawed. Only a fraction of human DNA is meaningful; the rest is "junk." (Same for other species - it's life, not just us.) But junk DNA replicates, too. Also, for most species in the real world, a wide variety of gene patterns produce pretty much the same animal. Did you know any of this? I didn't.

This is an ideal book for the intelligent layperson whose taste runs to the "readable but accurate." At 443 pages plus notes in the paperback version, it's plenty long enough for a coast-to-coast flight, with some left over for the next day. Highly recommended; I can't wait to pass it on to friends.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you dig science books, get this one, February 1, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: The Collapse of Chaos: Discovering Simplicity in a Complex World (Penguin Press Science) (Paperback)

If you are one of those who used to read Asimov's
or Arthur C. Clarke's "science fact" books get this book. You will especially enjoy it if you have an interest in evolution and/or to see the "tunnel vision" mistakes of people who are generally regarded as geniuses.

I learned more in reading this book than ANY non classroom
textbook and more than most classroom texts. And it's as easy to read as anything could be, considering the subject matter.

You should have some background in science, or it might be a little tough to get through.

All in all a great book.