Deep Simplicity: John Gribbin - 2004

Nothing is more complex than the study of complexity itself. Written by astrophysicist John Gribbin, Deep Simplicity discusses the study of complex systems and addresses how the principles behind chaos and complexity can been applied to explain diverse phenomena in our universe, such as weather patterns and mass extinctions.

Gribbin believes there are reasons for everything, even the most complex situations; he suggests that chaos and complexity are formed through simple scientific facts, including those discovered by Darwin and Lovelock.

“Before the scientific revolution of the seventeenth century, the world seemed to be ruled by chaos in a quite different way from the way the term is used by scientists today, but in the same way that most people still apply the word. There was no suggestion that there might be simple, orderly laws underpinning the confusion of the world, and the nearest anyone came to offering a reason for the behavior of wind and weather, the occurrence of famines, or the orbits of the planets was that they resulted from the whim of God, or the gods.”

Gribbin demonstrates how these principles permeate and govern the universe in which we live – yet are difficult to see with the naked eye. He argues that in order for us to make sense of the world around us, we give names to the chaos and set our own causes for specific occurrences. Deep Simplicity was written with eloquence and a level of wisdom that only comes with years of experience in the field. It’s an exciting read and perfect for those who want a deeper understanding of the world around them.