Complexity And The Arrow of Time

When does complexity increase, and why? Is the universe evolving toward states of ever greater complexity and diversity? If so, what is the source of this universal enrichment? Scientists and philosophers have long argued that many natural systems, and perhaps even the universe as a whole, possess an inbuilt tendency for their complexity to increase with time. This claim, however, rests uncomfortably with the second law of thermodynamics, under which it is entropy and disorder that increase and lead eventually to equilibrium and simplicity. It is also counter to the prevailing view that Darwinian evolution has no systematic directionality and shows no obvious preference for complex organisms over simple ones.

Attempts to reconcile these tensions have led to interesting theoretical advances in the study of gravitational physics, self-organizing systems, computational models of complexity, and mathematical models of biological evolution. The purpose of this book is to explore these reconciliation attempts, both scientific and philosophical, and to address two basic questions: under what circumstances will complexity increase with time, and is it possible to identify a general principle of increasing complexity? This book brings together the cosmological, biological, and philosophical perspectives of many respected scholars to explore one of the most fundamental questions about the nature of our universe and its inhabitants.