Genetics and Randomness / Edition 1

by Anatoly Ruvinsky

Overview

Analyzes Randomness in Major Genetic Processes and Events No matter how far science advances, the proportion of what is knowable to what is random will remain unchanged, and attempts to ignore this critical threshold are futile at best. With the revolutionary explosion in genetic information discovery, it is crucially important to recognize the underlying limitations of scientific prediction in genetics. Genetics and Randomness furthers the understanding of the role randomness plays in critical biological processes. The book also navigates the complex nature of genetic uncertainty from different points of view and at various levels of biological organization. Avoids Unnecessary Technical Details and Specific Terminology Exploring areas ranging from basic quantum mechanics and molecular genetics to modern evolutionary genetics and the philosophy of mathematics, this well-organized text discusses: Spontaneity of mutations and their relation to subatomic randomness Deep links between subatomic fluctuations and long-term macroscopic changes in living organisms The multitude of random events that occur during development Segregation, genetic drift, and natural selection Randomness and uncertainty are not occasional and regretful deviations from the "true" principles upon which life is built. Genetics and Randomness illustrates the ubiquitous nature of randomness as an integral feature of all essential processes, effectively embracing a probabilistic understanding of the phenomena of life.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781138430105
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	11/15/2017
Pages:	160
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.19(h) x (d)

About the Author

Anatoly Ruvinsky, Ph.D., is a Professor of Genetics at the University of New England in Australia. He has published numerous papers in leading journals and has edited several books, including a series of six books on mammalian genetics. His major research interests lie in evolutionary and developmental genetics as well as bioinformatics.

Table of Contents

Limits and uncertainty in nature and logic. Quantum fluctuations, mutations, and fixation of uncertainty. Recombination and randomness. Uncertainty of development. Organized randomness. Random genetic drift and deterministic selection. Life: Making uncertainty certain.