The engine of complexity : evolution as computation /

Mayfield (emer., genetics, development, and cell biology, Iowa State Univ.) uses the phrase "engine of complexity" to describe the basic cycle of evolution--mutate, replicate, select. He presents this paradigm as a form of iterative computation and ties it to the concept that everything in the universe (biological and otherwise) is input data, computation, or output data. From this foundation, Mayfield addresses the origins of biological complexity, complex physical structures, human culture, human development, consciousness, snowflakes, galaxies, and the immune system (among other things). The book is organized as a series of questions; under each question, the writing is engaging, if a bit long-winded. The book works best as the ruminations of someone who has thought deeply and broadly about the origins of complexity in all its forms. Unfortunately, the book's large-scale organization is impenetrable. Mayfield also falls into the trap of trying to explain some extremely complex systems (e.g., brain function) in layperson's terms. The results are nebulous at best. A significant part of the book is speculative (e.g., origins of consciousness) or digressive (e.g., relationship of entropy to information content). Despite these shortcomings, The Engine of Complexity is enjoyable and thought provoking. Summing Up: Recommended. General readers; lower- and upper-division undergraduates. R. M. Denome Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences