Customer Reviews

The Self-Made Tapestry: Pattern Formation in Nature

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4 star:		(3)
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From the very begiing of rational inquiry, a small number of philosophers and scientific researchers in different fields have asked a rather large question: What are the characteristics of the physical world that drive the creation of complex structures? This is a question that goes beyond simply asking why shells spiral, or why snowflakes have symmetry; it asks instead why do tree branches, root systems and the dendritic structures of nerve cells all share a common structure?

I've been curious about this question since my early grad school days, but for a long time the topic was thought at a minimum to be a rather eccentric one; many thought it simply unproductive, or even unscientific.

But the last twenty years has seen an explosion in the areas of complexity, chaos and other studies that go to the heart of asking why the world is structured (on a macroscopic scale) the way it is, and why there are so many parallels of structure between seemingly unrelated entities.

While there have been a great many books in recent years looking at that very question, "The Self-Made Tapestry" is this first really complete overview of the field and its history, and it's quite an accomplishment. Profusely illustrated, engagingly written, and marvelously clear, it's not only a wonderful reference book, it's marvelously entertaining to read as well.

If you've found yourself in recent times pouring over Glieck's "Chaos", or perhaps Stuart Kauffman's books on self-organization, or Waldrop's "Complexity", you'll delight in this book. It's a good reference for the academic, a fine introduction for the interested layman, and a treat for every interested reader.

I'm a theoretical biologist who has studied (some) of the subjects in this book. Although some of the details may sometimes be wrong, overall this book gives a superb introduction to the field. Pattern formation is one of the hot topics in biology now. This book assumes no previous knowledge, but it does require an intelligent reader who want to know- or someone who just likes to marvel at beatutiful pictures. I gave it to a lot of my friends to introduce them to `my' subject, and I certainly recommend it over any of the other `popular' approaches to pattern studies. JJW

The topic of this book is basically why I'm interested in science. Having studied the physics and math related to the phenomena described in the book for quite a while, I must say that this book is a 'must' for anybody who wants to know more about nature. Never mind that on a few occasions some inaccuracies occur; this is a book that will make you wonder, and not many books can say that. The only niggle is that a book this good should not have been written in the overly-casual 'I' form; this is not a narrative, but a great scientific book. The style of writing should reflect that.

The Self-Made Tapestry: Pattern Formation in Nature written by Philip Ball gives us some answers to long-standing questions as to why there are patterns in designs in nature that reoccur in seemly unrelated objects.

Biologists are used to the idea that form follows function. The shape and structure of a biological entity whether it is a protein molecule, an organism, or the wind blowing ripples in a sand dune all have a purpose and a function. These are things I was curious about when I was studying in college, things that caugh my attention as interrelated but how and why. Of course, things in my life became more complex, but these questions still always seemed to weigh in the back of my mind... A tree with limbs and a lightening bolt look simular and so too roots and nerves.

Well, "The Self-Made Tapestry" explains the why and how of why these simularities do exist. This book explains why these are not just coincidences. As nature weaves it tapestry through self-organization it employs no master plan it just applies simple local interactions between the component parts. The component parts inpart a common self-organization to energy conservation allowing for typically univeral patterns.

What I liked about this book is the author has put complex theories into non-technical language along with adequate illustrations show the reader how these patterns come about.

If you looking for a book on explains some of life's and nature's mysteries this is the book for you as it is highly readable and you begin to understand why things are as they are. The book reads like a textbook , the chapters build upon one another making for an accumilation of knowledge bases on a solid foundation from the start.

This book is a solid 4 stars giving the reader a adequate knowledge of the hows and whys of nature. This book only has very minor flaws, but that is all. I would highly recommend this book for you home science library as it would make a worthwhile addition.

I hope some publisher will do the world a favor and keep this book in print. It's a classic that belongs on the shelf right next to D'Arcy Thompson's "On Growth and Form." This might seem strange for me to say, but if I were to design an educational curriculum for people learning my profession (oncology), this book would be mandatory. It is highly recommended for anyone interested in morphogenesis. If anyone knows where I can buy 10 or 20 unused copies, I'd appreciate hearing from you (wmshea@earthlink.net).

This is a lyrical celebration of natural beauty and underlying complexity. Not only that, the book itself is beautifully typeset, composed and arranged. A real pleasure to read, aesthetically and intellectually. Sheer wonder.

The Self-Made Tapestry is a wonderful read both for the expert and simply curious. Explains so much about the construction of our world it should be taught in high school!

GREAT OVERVIEW OF PATTERN FORMATION.
FOR THE LAYMAN.
LITTLE MATH.
APPENDICES ARE NICE. PERHAPS MORE COULD HAVE BEEN SAID ABOUT SYMMETRY BREAKING.
BUT, OVERALL, GREAT BOOK. VERY WELL WRITTEN AND ENGAGING.

Ball's "The Self-Made Tapestry" is a book of great distinction, undoubtably the finest produced in this field (the science of natural [morphological] patterns, both universal and specific, and their geneses), amid a sea of others, over the last few decades.

- Patrick Gunkel

Woods Hole, Massachusetts

This is one of the finest affirmations of Emanationism of the Neoplatonists, i.e. that complexity in nature doesnt require Supernatural causes as exposited by Creationists. While this book does not deal with philosophical-religious principles, that its premise is the explaination for complexity in nature as merely Phi (golden section) ratios, it does provide the backbone for Emanationism, of the metaphore for the Cosmos in Platos Repuplic 509d-511 wherein Phi is given as the principle Logos (ratio/'tapestry') behind complexity in nature.