Part 1: Living SystemsSahtouris portrays traditional biology as a science out of step with its time. While modern physics and astronomy underwent a radical reshaping after Einstein introduced his theory of relativity almost 100 years ago, biology and the earth sciences still rest on the antiquated foundations of Newtonian physics and strict Darwinian evolution. Sahtouris introduces us to a new biology, one that incorporates all the upgrades of twentieth century science in a bold reconception of life's vital processes.
Part 2: Living Systems in Evolution
Sahtouris refutes Darwin's observation that scarcity of resources drives the evolution of species and offers an alternative to Richard Dawkins' theory of a "selfish gene." In her original conception, called dynamic harmony, conflict and competition for survival are seen as merely one stage in the continuing development of cells, species, eco-systems and galaxies as they move inexorably toward more complex forms of cooperation and harmony.