Review by Choice Review
To review properly this volume of proceedings of a 1985 symposium would take 16 separate entries, since the 16 individual chapters are each worthy of analysis. Most of the offerings pertain to the second law of thermodynamics and its impact on modern concepts of evolution. A secondary theme is the role of information theory as it applies to many of the current controversies in explaining evolution. This is not a volume for the casual reader but it is rich in provocative outlooks on evolutionary processes. If any one sentence could summarize such a complex volume, it might be the statement of the editor that ``biological phenomena are more law governed than anyone has previously supposed, and several of the relevant laws are purely physical.'' The reader would do well to read the introduction before tackling individual chapters, since it neatly summarizes each participant's point of view. The role of entropy in evolution pervades most contributions, with D.I. Olmsted's essay perhaps the most lucid and stimulating. Since each contribution is geared to discussion, the reader should expect challenging and even disturbing statements. Each chapter contains a pertinent bibliography and there is a reasonably thorough index. The MIT Press has issued a magnificent piece of typographical production. Recommended.-G. Nicholas, Manhattan College
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
