This book contains both an extensive philosophical commentary on this dichotomy in views and an exposition of the type of theory most favored by physical scientists. In this theory, living form is a manifestation of the dynamics of chemical change and physical transport or other physics of spatial communication. The Reaction-diffusion theory as initiated by Turing in 1952 and elaborated by Prigogine, Gierer, Meinhardt, and others is discussed in detail. In some respects the book takes up the theme that "the things we see in the cell are less important than the actions we recognize in the...

This book contains both an extensive philosophical commentary on this dichotomy in views and an exposition of the type of theory most favored by physical scientists. In this theory, living form is a manifestation of the dynamics of chemical change and physical transport or other physics of spatial communication. The Reaction-diffusion theory as initiated by Turing in 1952 and elaborated by Prigogine, Gierer, Meinhardt, and others is discussed in detail. In some respects the book takes up the theme that "the things we see in the cell are less important than the actions we recognize in the...

Biological development, how organisms acquire their form, is one of the great frontiers in science. While a vast knowledge of the molecules involved in development has been gained in recent decades, big questions remain on the molecular organization and physics that shape cells, tissues and organisms. Physical scientists and biologists traditionally have very different backgrounds and perspectives, yet some of the fundamental questions in developmental biology will only be answered by combining expertise from a range of disciplines. This book is a personal account by Professor Lionel Harrison...