Over the past thirty years, a new systemic conception of life has emerged at the forefront of science. New emphasis has been given to complexity,networks,and patterns of organisation leading to a novel kind of ‘systemic’thinking. This volume integrates the ideas, models, and theories underlying the systems view of life into a single coherent framework.Taking a broad sweep through history and acrossscientific disciplines, the authors examine the appearance of key concepts such as autopoiesis, dissipative structures,social networks, and a systemic understanding of evolution.The implications of the systems view of life for health care,management, and our global ecological and economic crises are also discussed. Written primarily for undergraduates, it is also essential reading for graduate students and researchers interested in understanding the new systemic conception of life and its implications for a broad range of professions – from economics and politics to medicine, psychology and law

About the Author

Fritjof Capra (born February 1, 1939) is an Austrian-born American physicist.He is a founding director of the Center for Ecoliteracy in Berkeley, California, and is on the faculty of Schumacher College.Capra is the author of several books, including The Tao of Physics (1975), The Turning Point (1982), Uncommon Wisdom (1988),The Web of Life (1996) and The Hidden Connections (2002).