Evolution of Information: Lineages in Gene, Culture, and Artifact - Softcover

Goonatilake, Susantha

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1855671840 ISBN 13: 9781855671843

Publisher: Pinter Pub Ltd, 1991

Synopsis

This book is a contribution to a renewed worldwide interest in macro evolutionary perspectives. Many writers over the last decade have made significant contributions to an emerging paradigm that provides common frameworks of evolution across several hitherto unconnected domains. As the price of working in the Third World, some of these contributions were unknown to the author till after the completion of a first draft of this manuscript.

About this title

Synopsis

This volume aims to provide a framework which will be useful to all involved in the study of information processes. In this book, the author pusues the theme of creating, storing and transmitting information in the biological, social and the "artefactual" realms. Dr Goonatilake sees information as the key variable and organizing mechanism in dealing with the environment, the environment itself being considered to have two components, a physical one as well as an informational one. Information is transmitted as flow lines down three streams, of DNA, neutral-cultural systems and artefacts - like computers and artificial intelligence devices. The book describes the nature of these lineages and their common evolutionary characteristics. These characteristics include coevolution, creation of novelty, differentiation, speciation as well as particular "world views" associated with each individual flow line. A final discussion describes the underlying thermodynamic engine that drives the flow line. Firmly grounded in the literature of the cognitive and biological sciences and sociology, the author draws up synthesis for analyzing information processing in general.

Edition details

• Publisher: Pinter Pub Ltd
• Publication date: 1991
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1855671840
• ISBN 13: 9781855671843
• Binding: Paperback