Details

Subject(s)

• Evolution (Biology) [Browse]

Author

• McShea, Daniel W. [Browse]

Series

• Cambridge elements. Elements in the philosophy of biology [More in this series]
• Cambridge elements. Elements in the philosophy of biology, 2515-1126 [More in this series]

Summary note

In this Element, we extend our earlier treatment of biology's first law. The law says that in any evolutionary system in which there is variation and heredity, there is a tendency for diversity and complexity to increase. The law plays the same role in biology that Newton's first law plays in physics, explaining what biological systems are expected to do when no forces act, in other words, what happens when nothing happens. Here we offer a deeper explanation of certain features of the law, develop a quantitative version of it, and explore its consequences for our understanding of diversity and complexity.

Notes

Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 24 Feb 2020).

ISBN

9781108591508 (ebook)

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