The Origins Of Order by Stuart A. Kauffman
Self-Organization and Selection in Evolution
Argues that much of the order in living systems arises from intrinsic self-organization in complex networks, with natural selection acting on this preexisting structure. Using models of gene regulatory Boolean networks, NK fitness landscapes, and autocatalytic sets, it shows how robust patterns, modularity, and adaptability can emerge near the edge of chaos. The account reframes evolution as a balance between selection and the laws of organization, explaining developmental stability, diversification, and the origins of metabolic and genetic networks. It offers a mathematical and computational synthesis linking origin-of-life chemistry to macroevolutionary dynamics.
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- Published
- 1993
- Nationality
- American
- Length
- Long
- Pages
- 700-750
- Original Language
- English
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- Alternate Titles
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