In 'Scale', Geoffrey B. West unveils the hidden laws that govern the growth and sustainability of cities, companies, and living organisms. He argues that everything in the universe operates under similar principles of scaling, leading to profound implications for our understanding of life and society. Through captivating examples and insightful analysis, West challenges conventional wisdom about progress and innovation. As he connects the dots between science, economy, and urban development, readers are invited to rethink what it means to grow. This thought-provoking exploration leaves us questioning the limits of expansion and the future of our interconnected world.
By Geoffrey B. West
Published: 2017
""The same laws that govern the growth and function of organisms also apply to the cities and societies they inhabit, revealing a hidden symmetry that binds us all together.""
"Visionary physicist Geoffrey West is a pioneer in the field of complexity science, the science of emergent systems and networks... Fascinated by issues of aging and mortality, West applied the rigor of a physicist to the biological question of why we live as long as we do and no longer. The result was astonishing, and changed science, creating a new understanding of energy use and metabolism: West found that despite the riotous diversity in the sizes of mammals, they are all, to a large degree, scaled versions of each other... West's work has been gaming changing for biologists, but then he made the even bolder move of exploring his work's applicability...and applied...[it] to the business and social world."--
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Geoffrey B. West is a distinguished theoretical physicist and author, renowned for his groundbreaking work in the fields of complex systems and scaling laws. His notable works include 'Scale: The Universal Laws of Life, Growth, and Death in Organisms, Cities, and Companies', in which he explores the intricate relationships between size and biological, urban, and organizational phenomena. West's writing style is characterized by clarity and accessibility, making complex scientific concepts comprehensible to a broad audience. Through his interdisciplinary approach, he bridges the gap between science and the humanities, inviting readers to reconsider the principles governing life and structure.
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“"The same laws that govern the growth and function of organisms also apply to the cities and societies they inhabit, revealing a hidden symmetry that binds us all together."”
Scale
By Geoffrey B. West
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