The pursuit of complexity - The utility of biodiversity in evolutionary perspective - evolution

The Pursuit of Complexity

What use is biodiversity, and does it matter if species die out?

These controversial questions arouse considerable debate.

Most people believe they represent a moral dilemma, but

The Pursuit of Complexity shows that it is possible to explore

them in a scientific way.

Author Gerard Jagers op Akkerhuis takes us back to the underlying

fundamental questions: What actually is usefulness, or utility?

What is evolution? What is life? What is biodiversity? And how

important are human beings in all this? According to him we

have to look at evolution in an entirely different way. If we do

that we see that it follows predictable patterns, and that it is

possible to anticipate the next stage in the evolutionary process.

His surprising answers and provocative predictions keep the

reader in suspense. He invites us to engage in a new type of

discussion, one that encompasses not only the scientific and

philosophical issues, but also their practical implications for

nature conservation.

The Pursuit of Complexity is written in clear terms for a broad audience,

from biologists and nature conservationists, philosophers,

futurists, researchers and students to politicians, policymakers

and anyone with an interest in nature and curious about what

constitutes life.