Rating: 
Summary: It is an accessible examination of quarks
Review: At the beginning of our knowledge of a nature of things there was a philosophy. Many years after from philosophy have passed the physics - science which wholly was allocated and completely should be checked by the facts of experience.However it is impossible sometimes to do check up only by facts. It is possible to make of the facts sometimes such conclusions, that is simple to mind is not conceivable. Let us admit that it so. But it is impossible, and to reject, and all received by human conclusions. We want it or we do not want - in the beginning there was a business, and then word. I think it is patience do necessary! Take the book and read it. The book - source of knowledge! vavivlad-rvc@mtu-net.ru
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Summary: Anyone who enjoys thinking should read (and like) this book!
Review: Gell-mann is, quite simply, an expert in more fields than most people have a passing interest in. Added to this is a lucid, entertaining writing style, and the ability to knit together seemingly disparate concepts from the fields of physics, cosmology, genetics, information theory, evolution, behavioural psychology, sociology...you name it. It seems a few people have been criticising Gell-mann for overextending himself, boasting about his own achievements or simply writing a dislocated, jumbled book. My advice to these people is to 'look for the patterns behind the apparent randomness', as Gell-mann might have put it (because they are there, all right), give him his due for his own (considerable) contributions to physics and admire his courage in even attempting to connect so many ideas, let alone succeeding as well as does. I loved this book, and I think anyone interested in just about any aspect of science ought to like it too.
Rating: 
Summary: A major disappoinment
Review: Gell-Mann may have won the Nobel Prize for Physics, but he'll never get one for literature. The first section of the book asks what the concept of complexity means. This struck me as not a fruitful question to ask, and indeed the answers offered have little payoff. We are then treated to a quick tour of quantum physics--too quick, really, to be of any value. The review mostly conveys the impression that modern particle physics has a rather complex and arbitrary structure (in fairness, Gell-Mann himself shares this assessment). I read through the whole book, thinking that surely it must get better. It never did. Throughout, the style is annoyingly discursive, breaking off for little anectdotes chiefly concerning who gets bragging rights for certain discoveries. There are also constant advertisements for the Santa Fe institute, as well as smug congratulations about how clever everyone involved is. I'm sure they are, but on the basis of this book, they have yet to produce any broadly useful insights.
Rating: 
Summary: A disappointingly dull, and lackluster work.
Review: Gell-Mann writes that this is his first and only book -- and that he came to write it to express to a wider audience his ruminations on "complex adaptive systems" (a phrase he seems happy to repeat again and again ...) and their relation to the fundamental world of physics. In this he fails, for his main points (which he has a hard time presenting concisely) are -- quite frankly -- rather obvious. (In this dismissal of his ideas I might well be mistaken; there may indeed be a treasure trove of ideas here. But if there is treasure to be found, it is buried well). What this book does offer is a concise summary of the complex world of particle physics which Gell-Mann helped to discover. This summary, taking up only a few short chapters near the middle of the book, is excellent. If Gell-Mann had maintained this level of precision throughout the book, it would have helped immeasurably.
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Summary: A little bit of everything
Review: How do you file a book like "The Quark and the Jaguar?" I could file it with books discussing quantum physics. That would certainly be appropriate. Then, again, I could file it with books on evolution. That would be equally appropriate. But then I might decide to file it in the section on public policy toward the environment, and environmental protection. Certainly, that is an appropriate place for this book. But wait. It also belongs in the section dealing with artificial intelligence and complex adaptive systems. So, where would you put it? I'm still not sure. Murray Gell-Mann's "The Quark and the Jaguar" takes us on a whirlwind tour from the "simple" construct of quantum physics to the complex adaptive system in a coat of spots moving stealthily through the forest in search of game. Through all this, Gell-Mann ties the entire tapestry into the unifying concepts of complex adaptive systems leaving the reader in awe at the wonder and complexity that arises from the natural evolutionary processes governing the universe in which we live. The book is organized in four parts. The first is a general-purpose section that discusses everything from information theory to the scientific method and the power of scientific theories. It's always a pleasure to read a description of science and the scientific method from a leading scientist such as Gell-Mann. The sections dealing with falsifiability, selection pressure on the scientific enterprise, unifying characteristics of scientific theories, and the power of theory give a clear and illuminating explanation of the essence of science. The second part of the book deals with quantum physics. Here you will find Gell-Mann's own story about the (theoretical) discovery of the quark and how it fits into the standard model. Gell-Mann's discussion about the standard model is among the clearest I've seen for the general reader. I found his explanation of all the so-called quantum paradoxes especially well done. From the standard model Gell-Mann explains some of the ideas within superstring theory and the hope that this may provide the unification of physics that has been anticipated for so long. I always hesitate to differ with anyone of Gell-Mann's stature. Especially in public. It invariably leads to embarrassment. Still, I'm just as loath to read a book and find myself in complete agreement with all its points. On the subject of complexity I found myself out of sorts with the trend followed by Gell-Mann. He begins by describing complexity as algorithmic complexity. This is essentially the length of the shortest binary code that can describe the phenomena. Gell-Mann then points out some rather obvious deficiencies with this definition. For example, it is a maximum for a completely random string of bits, yet we don't typically associate complexity with randomness. From there Gell-Mann takes us to something he calls effective complexity. Yet Gell-Mann laments that this still seems inadequate because it would use the genomes of living things to assess their effective complexity, yet we know (or do we?) that humans are far more complex than apes, even though we share well over 90% of our genetic code. This apparent desire leads eventually to something Gell-Mann calls "potential complexity." Now, I cannot argue specifically against these definitions. They seem perfectly intuitive and obvious. Still, I cannot shake the feeling that I'm seeing the same process that led scientists in the 19'Th century to define characteristics for the human skull that led to conclusions that whites were more intelligent than blacks. The entire scheme was ultimately based on subconsciously working toward a desired conclusion by manipulating definitions. Are we more complex than apes? I'm not so sure. Especially when one considers the next effect of humanity on the earth. True, for what it's worth we have an extensive and (is it really?) complex culture. Then again, we are the cause of the greatest mass extinction since the K/T boundary. If you add it all up, I wonder if we really are responsible for more complexity than random destruction. Sections three and four differ fundamentally from the first two parts. The first two parts deal with what Gell-Mann would call simple systems. Things like quantum physics and the general theory of relativity. The really complicated stuff is in biology. Part three deals with that and more, including general discussions about how complex adaptive systems learn. I found the part on creative learning especially interesting. This section purports to explain how to enhance one's ability to think creatively. The section is only ½ page long. Interestingly, creative thinking correlates with what often appears to be random thought processes. I couldn't help wondering about the conclusions regarding algebraic complexity and randomness. The book ends with section four, which is really Gell-Mann's views on various social issues, particularly those associated with the environment. I could not help wishing, as I read these last few pages, that our species could not have a few more men like Gell-Mann. What a difference it would make if his level of intellect, honesty, compassion, and logic could be brought to focus on more issues. It left me with a renewed determination to follow his lead in doing more to preserve biodiversity on earth for the earth, and for future generations. If you find wonder in the world, and excitement in a journey of discovery, then I recommend Gell-Mann's book wholeheartedly. Duwayne Anderson
Rating:
Summary: A Masterpiece from a Polymath
Review: I agree with Mr. Leonardo Motta, Mr. Charles Aschbacher, and the Editor of the Kirkus Review. Please read their reviews.
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Summary: This book makes you think! But in a fun way.
Review: I couldn't put this one down either. I highlighted many areas of interest. My favorite was about the small little butterfly on one side of the world that could "possibly" cause a hurricane on the other side of the world. Fluctuations in physics, psychology, biology and quantum mechanics are all provided here in layman's readability. I loved it and made me want to learn more! I highly recommend this book, it is a great book to reference to later as well. You'll be finding yourself in conversations about this subject relating back to this book and will provoke conversations that could last for hours and hours, or in my case, days!
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Summary: The True Meaning of this Book
Review: I decided to write this review because I thought none of the reviews really mentioned the main focus of this book. This is not a book about Quantum Mechanics, nor molecular biology, nor neurobiology. In this book, the great Gell-Mann exposes his ideas of why all subjects of science (from physics, to chemistry, to biology, to psychology) must be studied together, why they are related and also he shows models of how to do this unified study. He defends that reductionism is not the only way of doing science, in opposition of the philosophical ideas of Steven Weinberg and Richard Feynman. This book is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, because there aren't many books that are against pure reductionism written by reductionism defenders. Gell-Mann is not against reductionism, but against PURE reductionism; he think its nice to explain a complex phenomenon based on the theory of its contents but its also important to study the phenomenon in his actual level, studying the way that the complex works. Not only the simple. Thats the origin of the name: Quark, the simple, and the Jaguar, the complex.
Rating: 
Summary: good book
Review: I did not find the author ignorant or anything in this book. I wanted to read it because I wanted to learn about quarks. Not all of the book was about quarks and I found some of these parts boring (specifically the stuff about how economics works and computers). The book talked about characterics that all complex adaptive systems share (computers, economy,living things). He does not tie this in with the quark. He does make some interesting points. It is a good book but not a great book.
Rating:
Summary: Nobel
Review: I have no clue about this book or physics because i am only in Biology 1 but Dr.Gell-Mann visited my school and it was an honor to have him visit our school. He won the 1969 Nobel Prize in Physics after his contributions and discoveries concerning the classification of elementary particles and their interactions.
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