The Life Era: Cosmic Selection and Conscious Evolution [Paperback]

Eric Chaisson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 12, 2000 | ISBN-10: 0595007910 | ISBN-13: 978-0595007912

In The Life Era, Eric Chaisson continues telling the scenario of cosmic evolution begun with his award winning Cosmic Dawn. Stressing the time-honored concept of change, he articulates three grand eras in universal history: the radiation era, starting with the big bang; the matter era, when organized structures emerged; and the life era, when technologically sentient beings take control of their destiny.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This provocative "book length essay" is the second in a projected trilogy, following Cosmic Dawn, which examined the origins of matter and life and pointed the way to the Chaisson's view that, as matter grew out of cosmic energy, so in our time this process of "cosmic selection" has led to a "Life Era" that will see humans, through technology, give creative direction to evolutionincluding, perhaps, that of the cosmos. The author, an associate professor at Harvard and a researcher in astrophysics at MIT, is caught up in those ultimate questions that distinguish philosophers and theologians such as Kant, Descartes, Teilhard, Tillich, and he is in the tradition of moderns like Carl Sagan, J. S. Trefil, George Wald, Jacques Monod and others who urge science into new dimensions. Chaisson is a bedrock scientist, however, and what some might dismiss as mysticism disguised as freewheeling physics is, in fact, hard science with enriching overtones. His study of cosmic change is followed by an appended "mathematical guide" that is dazzling. Macmillan Book Clubs alternate.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

This is a fascinating and personal statement on "cosmic evolution," which the author defines as "the study of the many varied changes in the assembly and composition of energy, matter, and life in the Universe." Throughout his book, Chaisson ( Cosmic Dawn ) focuses on three interrelated questions: Where and how did the idea of "cosmic evolution" originate? How can order (via evolution) emerge from the chaotic stuff of the universe? What is the origin of the primal energy of the original universe? He believes humans are about to enter a new era that will determine their survival. This is a provocative book, and one that deals with topics of increasing interest to both laypeople and professionals. Warmly recommended for public libraries. Robert Paul, History of Science Program, Dickinson Coll., Carlisle, Penn.
Copyright 1987 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: 272 pages
• Publisher: iUniverse (September 12, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0595007910
• ISBN-13: 978-0595007912
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,311,233 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars as interesting for its philosophy as for its science., June 12, 2003

By 

Atheen M. Wilson "Atheen" (Mpls, MN United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Life Era: Cosmic Selection and Conscious Evolution (Paperback)

Like Carl Sagan, Eric Chaisson has dedicated his professional life as an astrophysicist to educating the interested lay-public in the arcaneries of his field. Beyond Sagan, he has also attempted to formulate a philosophy of cosmic evolution based on the natural evolutionary processes of nature itself. The author starts with the basic theories of thermodynamics, chaos, and self-organizing criticality. With these basic tenets he follows the process from the origin of the universe to the evolution of intelligent life. As he writes, "In the words of biology's Nobel laureate George Wald, 'Matter has reached the point of beginning to know itself.' We are, he continues, 'a star's way of knowing about stars.' This, for me, is life's purpose and meaning, its raison d'etre--to act as an animated conduit for the Universe's self-reflection. In short, we sentient humans are now among the purveyors of cosmic consciousness. Above all else, this is what grants us, not individually but as a species, a magnanimous worth and dignity among all creatures on planet Earth, indeed, among all known structures in the Universe (p. 229)."

The book has a final chapter on the ethics of world and universal order, taking the issue of evolution of intelligent life from simply technologically competent life to ethically competent life. While he sees the former as capable of global dominance, he only sees the latter as capable of surviving its own self-destructive tendencies.

In general I felt that the author's narrative style was very approachable and informative. He discusses everything from the early Greek philosopher's cogitations on the nature of things to the scientific advances of the '60s, giving a very good appraisal of each. Among the great minds discussed are Anaximander, Plato, Aristotle, Heraclitus,Empedocles, Francis Bacon, Decartes, Darwin, and Shapley.

I found Chaisson's ability to put scientific concepts into word pictures very impressive. One of my favorites was the concept of the universe as a giant chandelier with the individual lights being instances of planetary life that rose to a level of use of radioastronomy. His description of the various patterns of light that might arise were helpful. It clarified the oft stated criticism of the search for extra terestrial life, "where are they?" He showed that the chandelier might be full of life/light, empty of life/light, or turning on one bulb at a time so that while life was common overall, no two instances existed at the same time. I would say that any one from junior high up would be fully able to understand the content.

I'm not certain I agree with the author's optimistic observations on the future of life in the universe. His vision of an interconnected cosmos wide civilization seems a little far fetched. So much has happened socially and politically in recent years, that one finds it difficult to believe that intelligent life can manage to outlive its tendency toward individual struggle at the expense of other living things and even of the planet itself. As the author notes, however, the push of intelligent life beyond the solar system and into the rest of the universe need not start here!

An interesting book; as interesting for its philosophy as for its science.