The immense journey : from the birth of the universe to the rise of intelligence / Gerald E. Marsh.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Marsh, Gerald E., author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Evolution (Biology).

Cosmology.

Universe.

Physical Description:

xi, 328 pages ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Singapore ; Hackensack, NJ : World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., [2018]

Summary:

"This book is an attempt to trace the majestic immense journey from the coming into being of the universe to the emergence and evolution of life. It is intended to complement the many excellent books that cover different aspects of this journey. Part I covers the coming into existence of the universe while Part II presents the beginning of life on the early Earth. Next, Part III discusses the emergence of consciousness and intelligence, and Part IV, the immense journey of the universe beyond Earth. Finally, Part V addresses the problems raised by the rise of higher-order consciousness in human beings as captured by the phrase "the human condition"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

In the beginning

Quantum foundations and the building blocks of matter. Does God play dice?: conceptual quantum physics for the perplexed ; The Feynman path integral ; Entanglement ; The basic building blocks of matter

Let there be light

Prebiotic molecules and protocells. Prebiotic molecules ; Protocells

The first cells. Metabolism ; The beginning of life ; The early Earth: plate tectonics and serpentinization ; Proteins and the genetic code of early life ; The tree of life from Darwin to Woese ; An endosymbiotic interlude ; The tree of life revisited ; Photosyntesis and the oxygenation of the atmosphere ; The evolution of multicellularity

Darwinian evolution and beyond. Horizontal or lateral gene transfer ; Tempo and mode ; Epigenetics ; Epigenetics and phenotypic plasticity

Sense, thought and consciousness. Modes of thought ; Vision ; Primary consciousness ; The special case of dolphins ; Higher-order consciousness ; The human advantage ; Cultural evolution and social Darwinism ; The neural basis of human language ; Homunculus: the "I" or inner self ; The ultimate source of consciousness ; Emergence in biological neural networks ; The neural basis of memory

Beyond our Earth. Thermal history of the Earth ; Venus and the runaway greenhouse effect ; Life on other planets in the solar system

Civilization and its discontents. The evolution of humans, race, and culture

Race ; Human capabilities and culture ; The human condition: past and present ; The human condition and the 21st century ; The tragedy of the commons ; Sources of energy ; What is wrong with the climate models? ; Automation and education ; Preconditions for reversing current trends ; A gloomy prediction

Coda and implications.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9789813235748

9813235748

OCLC:

1023823401