Notes on Complexity - by Neil Theise (Hardcover)

About the Book

"An electrifying introduction to complexity theory, the science of how complex systems behave--from cells to human beings, ecosystems, the known universe, and beyond--that profoundly reframes our understanding and illuminates our interconnectedness. Nothing in the universe is more complex than life. Throughout the skies, in oceans, and across lands, life is endlessly on the move. In its myriad forms--from cells to human beings, social structures, and ecosystems--life is open-ended, evolving, unpredictable, yet adaptive and self-sustaining. Complexity theory addresses the mysteries that animate science, philosophy, and metaphysics: how this teeming array of existence, from the infinitesimal to the infinite, is in fact a seamless living whole and what our place, as conscious beings, is within it. Physician, scientist, and philosopher Neil Theise makes accessible this "theory of being," one of the pillars of modern science, and its holistic view of human existence. He notes the surprising underlying connections within a universe that is itself one vast complex system--between ant colonies and the growth of forests, cancer and economic bubbles, murmurations of starlings and crowds walking down the street. The implications of complexity theory are profound, providing insight into everything from the permeable boundaries of our bodies to the nature of consciousness. Notes on Complexity is an invitation to trade our limited, individualistic view for the expansive perspective of a universe that is dynamic, cohesive, and alive--a whole greater than the sum of its parts. Theise takes us to the exhilarating frontiers of human knowledge and in the process restores wonder and meaning to our experience of the everyday"--Publisher's website.

Book Synopsis

2024 Nautilus Book Award Winner * The Marginalian Favorite Books of 2023

An electrifying introduction to complexity theory, the science of how complex systems behave, that explains the interconnectedness of all things.

Nothing in the universe is more complex than life. Throughout the skies, in oceans, and across lands, life is endlessly on the move. In its myriad forms--from cells to human beings, social structures, and ecosystems--life is open-ended, evolving, unpredictable, yet adaptive and self-sustaining. Complexity theory addresses the mysteries that animate science, philosophy, and metaphysics: how this teeming array of existence, from the infinitesimal to the infinite, is in fact a seamless living whole and what our place, as conscious beings, is within it.

The implications of complexity theory are profound, providing insight into everything from the permeable boundaries of our bodies to the nature of consciousness. Notes on Complexity is an invitation to trade our limited, individualistic view for the expansive perspective of a universe that is dynamic, cohesive, and alive--a whole greater than the sum of its parts. Physician, scientist, and philosopher Neil Theise takes us to the exhilarating frontiers of human knowledge and in the process restores wonder and meaning to our experience of the everyday.

Review Quotes

"Lucid and luminous."--Maria Popova, The Marginalian

"Lucid and accessible . . . This slender work offers a compelling retreat into the exhilarating and oddly reassuring world of complexity."--Washington Post

"Mind-blowing . . . [There is] a very small amount of people we've interviewed who seem to be able to see the entire world in all of its complexity, in one view. . . . Neil might have his arms around perhaps as much of the big picture as one can get their arms around."--Dax Shepard, Armchair Expert Podcast

"Enthusiastic and convincing in [its] demonstrations of the universe's vast interconnectedness. . . . A stimulating read."--Kirkus

"A wide, wise, and warm presentation and evocation of the broad domains of complexity, life, mind, and emergence. Please do read this book. The world is better for it."--Stuart Kauffman, MacArthur Fellow, Fellow of Royal Society of Canada, author of The Origins of Order

"A must-read instant classic for those who are determined to discover the true nature of reality."--Robert Thurman, Jey Tsong Khapa Professor Emeritus, Columbia University

"Engaging, compelling and revelatory, Notes on Complexity takes us inside the cell and outside the galaxy to deepen our understanding of the mysteries of which we are made. It is a fascinating and thought-provoking journey that filled me with wonder."--Mark Epstein, MD, author of The Zen of Therapy: Uncovering a Hidden Kindness in Life

"This timely book invites us on a transformative journey into what is normally hidden from view--the complex, complementary interactions that inform science, art, and religion, and illuminate our existence as conscious and creative beings, inseparable from the totality of life."--Ian A. Baker, PhD, National Geographic Explorer for the Millennium and author of The Heart of the World

"Notes on Complexity gives us a new way to see life and understand our existence."--Daniel C. Matt, author of God & the Big Bang and translator of The Zohar: Pritzker Edition

"Neil Theise takes us through the 'shimmering webs' of complexity--from the womb to the windy mountain rooftops of the world, so that we may come home to the everywhere and the everyone."--Maureen Seaberg, author of Fearfully and Wonderfully Made: The Astonishing New Science of the Senses

About the Author

Neil Theise is a professor of pathology at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. Through his scientific research, he has been a pioneer of adult stem cell plasticity and the anatomy of the human interstitium. He is also a longtime student of Zen Buddhism. Dr. Theise's studies in complexity theory have led to interdisciplinary collaborations in fields such as integrative medicine, consciousness studies, and the science-religion dialogue. He lives in New York City.