For Your Information!
Don Mikulecky
--------------BC7B34D76928752ED17B7338
Content-Type: message/rfc822
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Content-Disposition: inline
Return-Path: <sw426@columbia.edu>
Received: from merhaba.cc.columbia.edu ([128.59.59.130]) by dragon.vcu.edu
(Netscape Messaging Server 3.52) with ESMTP id AAA3686
for <mikuleck@hsc.vcu.edu>; Wed, 7 Apr 1999 09:34:17 -0400
Received: from knc-.cupress.columbia.edu (cup64.cupress.columbia.edu
[128.59.208.74])
by merhaba.cc.columbia.edu (8.8.5/8.8.5) with SMTP id JAA11928
for <mikuleck@hsc.vcu.edu>; Wed, 7 Apr 1999 09:35:31 -0400 (EDT)
Message-ID: <370B5EB8.3C4A@columbia.edu>
Date: Wed, 07 Apr 1999 09:33:44 -0400
From: shannon <sw426@columbia.edu>
Organization: Columbia University Press
X-Mailer: Mozilla 2.01 (Win95; I)
MIME-Version: 1.0
To: Don Mikulecky <mikuleck@hsc.vcu.edu>
Subject: Re: sequel to Life Itself?
References: <3705084D.2312597F@hsc.vcu.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
X-MIME-Autoconverted: from 8bit to quoted-printable by merhaba.cc.columbia.edu
id JAA11928
Don Mikulecky wrote:
>=20
> I understand you are about to release a sequel to "Life Itself" by
> Rosen. Can you give me more information?
> Thank you
> D. C. Mikulecky
> Professor of Physiology
> Virginia Commonwealth University---------------------------------------=
----------------
Don,
The sequal will be released later this summer or in early fall. It will=20
consist of 416 pages and it is priced $65.00--cloth, $37.50--paper. I=20
have enclosed the copy which is found on the back cover of the book:
Compiling twenty articles on the nature of life and on the objective of=20
the natural sciences, this remarkable book complements Robert Rosen=92s=20
groundbreaking "Life Itself"=97a work that influenced philosophers and=20
biologists, linguists and social scientists alike. Breaking free from=20
the constraints of reductionist reasoning which maintain that simple,=20
empirical mechanisms are the basis of all life, the renowned=20
biophysicist tackles a remarkable range of subjects that will stimulate=20
similarly far-reaching audiences. In "Essays on Life Itself," Rosen=20
takes to task the central objective of the natural sciences, calling=20
into question the attempt to create objectivity in a subjective world.=20
The book opens with an exploration of the interaction between biology=20
and physics, unpacking Schr=F6dinger=92s famous text "What Is Life?" and=20
revealing the shortcomings of the notion that artificial "intelligence"=20
can truly replicate life. Rosen also challenges the paradox of the brain=20
as organism and the receptacle of scientific reasoning. Elegantly=20
rounding out his argument, Rosen reflects on the quandary of side=20
effects, moments when science confronts unpredicted outgrowths of a=20
process thought to be reduced to a system. Finally, the last enigma=20
links all of the essays=97how can science explain the unpredictable? As a=
=20
century defined by extraordinary scientific progress draws to a close,=20
"Essays on Life Itself" is a critical work that asks readers to=20
reconsider what we have learned and where science can lead us in years=20
to come.
--------------BC7B34D76928752ED17B7338--