What Is Life?: Evolution as Computation
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- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2025-03-11 09:20:25
- Update Date：2025-09-12
- Status：finish
- Author：Blaise Aguera y Arcas
- ISBN：0262554097
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
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Summary
In 1944， quantum mechanics pioneer Erwin Schrödinger wrote a slim but influential volume， What Is Life？， posing the primary question that rendered biology so mysterious to a physicist。 How can life and all its attendant complexities come to exist in a random universe， governed by simple laws， whose disorder only increases over time？
This small book， richly illustrated and written for a general audience， offers a deep and surprising answer， drawing on decades of theory and existing literature as well as recent experiments in artificial life。 Beginning with ideas developed by Alan Turing and John von Neumann in the mid-twentieth century， Agüera y Arcas shows how self-reproduction， hence life， is inherently computational。 Life evolves spontaneously in environments capable of supporting computation， like our own universe， and grows more complex over time as it enters symbiotic relationships with itself。
is also the first part of Agüera y Arcas’s larger book What Is Intelligence？， which further develops a computational and symbiotic perspective on intelligence， from simple organisms to brains and societies to AI。
Reviews
Full text available online at whatisintelligence dot antikythera dot org
Explore the Depths of Life: Understanding Evolution as Computation
What Is Life？: Evolution as Computation
Discover the fascinating intersection of biology and computation in the groundbreaking work， What Is Life？: Evolution as Computation。 This book delves into the principles of evolution and how they can be understood through computational frameworks。
About the Book
This insightful text explores the fundamental questions of life and existence， presenting evolution not just as a biological process but as a computational one。 It challenges readers to rethink their understanding of life through the lens of computation。
Key Themes
- Evolutionary Theory: An in-depth look at how evolutionary processes can be modeled and understood through computation。
- Computational Biology: Insights into how computational methods are revolutionizing our understanding of biological systems。
- Philosophical Implications: A discussion on the implications of viewing life as a computational process。
Read Online and Download
Interested in exploring this thought-provoking book？ You can read online or download the PDF， EPUB， or MOBI formats for free。 Dive into the world of evolution and computation today！
Why Read This Book？
Whether you're a student， a researcher， or simply curious about the nature of life， this book offers valuable insights that bridge the gap between biology and computer science。 Enhance your understanding of evolution and its computational aspects。
Join the Discussion
Share your thoughts and engage with others interested in the themes of this book。 Join forums and online communities to discuss the implications of viewing life through the lens of computation。
Related Resources
Check out additional resources and readings that complement the themes discussed in What Is Life？: Evolution as Computation。 Expand your knowledge and understanding of this fascinating subject。