Chapters
Sara Imari Walker introduces Assembly Theory, a framework for understanding complexity in the universe and its connection to life. She discusses how it challenges conventional definitions of life and its implications for the search for extraterrestrial life, including the possibility of non-biological life forms.
- Assembly Theory posits that the universe doesn't generate high levels of complexity outside of living processes.
- The theory suggests a quantifiable complexity boundary in molecules, above which life is definitively indicated.
- Walker challenges the traditional definition of life, arguing it's not solely a chemical phenomenon but a universal physics principle.
- She emphasizes the role of lineages and information structuring the material world in understanding life's evolution.
- Cities, with their complex organization and human activity, can be viewed as living entities akin to biological organisms.
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