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Drawing especially on insights emerging from studies of the cellular networks formed by fungi, this book describes the fundamental indeterminacy that enables life forms to thrive in and create inconstant circumstances. It explains how indeterminacy arises from counteraction between associative and dissociative processes at the reactive interfaces between living systems and their surroundings. It stresses the relevance of these processes to understanding the dynamic contexts within which living systems of all kinds — including human societies-explore for, use up, conserve and recycle sources of energy.
By focusing on dynamic boundaries, the book counterbalances the discretist view that living systems are assembled entirely from building-block-like units — individuals and genes — that can be freely sifted, as opposed to channeled, by natural selection. It also shows how the versatility that enables life forms to proliferate in rich environments, whilst minimizing losses in restrictive environments, depends on capacities for error and co-operation within a fluid, non-hierarchical power structure. Understanding this point yields a more compassionate, less competitive and less self-centred outlook on life's successes and failures.
Contents:
- Defining Dynamic Boundaries
- Scaling Hierarchies: Individuals and Collectives from Molecules to Communities
- Determinacy and Indeterminacy
- Differentiation and Integration
- Versatility and Degeneracy
- Balance and Circumstance
- Me and You, Us and Them: Merger, Takeover and Rejection
- Compassion in Place of Strife: The Future of Human Relationships?
Readership: Biology students, teachers and general readers.
“Slowly, a new genre of writing is emerging that recognises both partnership and competition as crucial to understanding evolution … Degrees of Freedom is a fascinating new addition to this debate … Rayner has elegantly shown that, in much of the microbial world at least, DNA takes a back seat to environmental context. He wants to apply these same principles to the behaviour of more familiar communities such as ant colonies and plant roots and even, more contentiously, to ourselves. Already his ideas, which have been dubbed –eco-Darwinism—, have intrigued evolutionists. Now this accessible book brings his challenging perspective into the public areas.”
“Dr Rayner explains with virtuosity the extraordinary properties of the fungi of the woodland floor and relates this to a range of other phenomena, such as how humans learn.”
“For such a concise book … well-referenced and indexed, it is extraordinarily wide in scope.”
“Highly recommended for biologists of all disciplines.”
New Scientist
“Dr Rayner explains with virtuosity the extraordinary properties of the fungi of the woodland floor and relates this to a range of other phenomena, such as how humans learn.”
SGM Quarterly
“For such a concise book … well-referenced and indexed, it is extraordinarily wide in scope.”
The Ecologist
“Highly recommended for biologists of all disciplines.”
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