Bringing together the latest scientific advances and some of the most enduring subtle philosophical puzzles and problems, this book collects original historical and contemporary sources to explore the wide range of issues surrounding the nature of life. Selections ranging from Aristotle and Descartes to Sagan and Dawkins are organised around four broad themes covering classical discussions of life, the origins and extent of natural life, contemporary artificial life creations and the definition and meaning of 'life' in its most general form. Each section is preceded by an extensive introduction connecting the various ideas discussed in individual chapters and providing helpful background material for understanding them. With its interdisciplinary perspective, this fascinating collection is essential reading for scientists and philosophers interested in astrobiology, synthetic biology and the philosophy of life.
Author(s): Mark A. Bedau, Carol E. Cleland
Edition: 1
Year: 2010
Language: English
Pages: 440
Tags: Биологические дисциплины;Теория эволюции;
Contents......Page 6
Preface......Page 8
Acknowledgments......Page 9
Sources......Page 10
About the authors......Page 13
Introduction......Page 20
SECTION I. CLASSICAL DISCUSSIONS
OF LIFE......Page 24
De Anima (selections)......Page 32
Treatise on Man......Page 38
Critique of the teleological power of judgment (selections)......Page 44
What is Life? (selections)......Page 73
The nature of life......Page 93
What is the meaning of “life”?......Page 111
The principles of life (selections)......Page 125
SECTION II. THE ORIGIN AND EXTENT
OF NATURAL LIFE......Page 136
The origin of life: a review of facts and speculation......Page 143
Small molecule interactions were central to the origin of life......Page 151
Are the different hypotheses on the emergence of life as different as they seem?......Page 158
The universal nature of biochemistry......Page 177
Is there a common chemical model for life in the universe?......Page 184
Searching for life in the universe: lessons from Earth......Page 206
The possibility of alternative microbial life on Earth......Page 218
Introduction to the limits of organic life in planetary systems......Page 230
SECTION III. ARTIFICIAL LIFE AND
SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY......Page 237
Learning from functionalism: prospects for strong artificial life......Page 244
Life, “artificial life,” and scientific
explanation......Page 255
Alien life: how would we know?......Page 268
Automatic design and manufacture of robotic life forms......Page 279
A giant step towards artificial life?......Page 287
Approaches to semi-synthetic minimal cells: a review......Page 291
Creating “real life”......Page 308
SECTION IV. DEFINING AND
EXPLAINING LIFE......Page 314
Definitions of life......Page 322
The seven pillars of life......Page 326
A universal definition of life: autonomy and open-ended evolution......Page 329
Does ‘life’ have a definition?......Page 345
Sentient symphony......Page 359
What is life?......Page 374
Universal Darwinism......Page 379
What is life? Was Schrödinger
right?......Page 393
Four puzzles about life......Page 411
Supplementary bibliography on life......Page 424
Index......Page 432
