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Erwin Schrodinger
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What Is Life?: with "Mind and Matter" and "Autobiographical Sketches"

by Erwin Schrödinger (Author), Roger Penrose (Foreword)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 1,018 ratings
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Nobel laureate Erwin Schrödinger's What is Life? is one of the great science classics of the twentieth century. A distinguished physicist's exploration of the question which lies at the heart of biology, it was written for the layman, but proved one of the spurs to the birth of molecular biology and the subsequent discovery of the structure of DNA. The philosopher Karl Popper hailed it as a 'beautiful and important book' by 'a great man to whom I owe a personal debt for many exciting discussions'. It appears here together with Mind and Matter, his essay investigating a relationship which has eluded and puzzled philosophers since the earliest times. Schrodinger asks what place consciousness occupies in the evolution of life, and what part the state of development of the human mind plays in moral questions. Brought together with these two classics are Schrödinger's autobiographical sketches, published and translated here for the first time. They offer a fascinating fragmentary account of his life as a background to his scientific writings, making this volume a valuable additon to the shelves of scientist and layman alike.
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  1. ISBN-10
    0521427088
  2. ISBN-13
    978-0521427081
  3. Publisher
    Cambridge University Press
  4. Publication date
    January 31, 1992
  5. Part of series
    Canto
  6. Language
    English
  7. Dimensions
    5.25 x 0.5 x 7.7 inches
  8. Print length
    194 pages
  9. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

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"One of the great science classics of the 20th century.... This is the book that provided the inspiration that gave birth to molecular biology and the discovery of DNA." Research News and Opportunities in Science and Theology

"...delightful...Schrödinger writes in a naturally relaxed and pleasant tone that leads us through the difficulties of his subject...It is well worth the trouble. For the serious student of origin-of-life theories, it is the obvious place to start." The Boston Book Review

Book Description

Nobel laureate Erwin Schrödinger's What is Life?, one of the great science classics of the twentieth century appears here together with Mind and Matter.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Cambridge University Press (January 31, 1992)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 194 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0521427088
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0521427081
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 8.5 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.25 x 0.5 x 7.7 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 1,018 ratings

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Erwin Schrodinger

Erwin Schrodinger

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4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
1,019 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Dean Elliott
5.0 out of 5 stars Nice easy reading
Reviewed in the United States on January 7, 2024
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Nice little book. Still enjoying it. Interesting and easy for the novice to grasp.
One person found this helpful
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Robert G.
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant and decades ahead of his time
Reviewed in the United States on January 19, 2021
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This was a brilliant book and I enjoyed it immensely. Schrodinger was far ahead of his time. The first part of the book dealing with the chemistry of what is life and how the laws of physics applied to the atoms and molecules of which we are all composed was a direct pathway to the discovery of DNA. Schrodinger basically hypothesized the existence of DNA 20 years before Watson and Crick and Rosalind Franklin and Maurice Wilkins actually detected it. The second part of the book regarding the philosophy of human if what is thought and what is cognition is deep and will stretch the mind. I don't profess to grasp it all by any means but it is very thought provoking and will make you think. I actually enjoyed the last chapter where Schrodinger outlines his life in broad strokes and describes his work and family and his fleeing Germany upon the rise of the Nazis.
3 people found this helpful
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Arie Pieter Vander Stroom
4.0 out of 5 stars A new paradigm in thinking about existence and reality
Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2010
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In the first half of the last century two major developments took place in Physics which created a far reaching paradigm shift in thinking about existence and reality. These events were Einstein's Relativity and perhaps even more importantly the advent of Quantum Physics. Our worldview would never be the same anymore. These two events had (and increasingly are having) a profound influence in other Sciences but also in Philosophy and perhaps even Religion. Not surprisingly, two of the giants of Quantum Physics, Erwin Schrodinger and Werner Heisenberg, wrote a lot about the Philosophical and Existential consequences of what they had set in motion. Einstein, Schrodinger and Heisenberg all acknowledged that their theories still don't describe "reality" perfectly. Equations are not the "presence" they are only "re-presentations". Equations are the result of the human mind and conscience observing, processing, translating in symbols and establishing abstract relationships. This inward focused process still cannot fully grasp the truth; perhaps the ultimate truth is un-knowable.
This book contains Erwin Schrodinger's thoughts on Life, Mind and Matter. Erwin Schrodinger of course is the man behind the famous Schrodinger wave equation in Quantum Physics. Schrodinger's equation describes the "outcome" of physical process but does not explain the "why". As a result it was concluded that what the equation describes is a "probability" distribution of what is happening. In this book Schrodinger tries to link Quantum Physics to evolution by explaining that the development of life needed "discontinuities" and "quantum" jumps. Like Energy Levels in Particle Physics also Evolution is not a smooth continuum. He describes that evolution needs more than mutations in genes. He further addresses the development of "societal learning" and the development of a "collective" memory. This collective memory exists outside ourselves if we only look at ourselves as an "organism" which operates as a "machine". In this he touches on the "missing link" in the development of science. Until the advent of Quantum Physics we could leave ourselves (the "observers") out of the equation. We were not part of it. Quantum Physics however tells us that we are an intrinsic part of reality. Reality only exists when we observe it (Schrodinger's Probability Wave Distribution "Collapses"). This book is not easy to read and Erwin Schrodinger's style of writing is not easy accessible but the book addresses all the fundamental issues on how we look at creation and existence which the advent of quantum physics set in motion.
4 people found this helpful
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Walter Stanley
5.0 out of 5 stars Not as materialistic as I expected.
Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2015
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In the preface Roger Penrose writes: “It makes point that . . . have the ring of truth; yet they are still blindly ignored by a disconcertingly large proportion of people who should know better.” I suppose the reader can decide which points these are.

Schrödinger’s opinions about life were far less mechanical than I expected. I am one of the few scientists who believe that life and consciousness are intrinsic qualities of the universe. While the “rationalist” dismiss this as “irrefutable and unprovable, and thus of no value for knowledge,” though he ignores the fact the this is just as true of the assumption that life arose haphazardly, Schrödinger points out “what an uncanny gap he thereby allows to remain in his picture of the world.” Had consciousness not appeared, existence would “otherwise have remained a play before empty benches, not existing for anybody, thus quite properly speaking not existing.” Since consciousness exists, it necessarily had potential existence from the instant of the Big Bang. If existence had no consciousness of existing, how would that be different from nonexistence? But materialists mock those who suggest that this potential might be intrinsic rather than acquired accidentally. It is amusing to see how angry materialists get at the suggestion that their existence is not accidental and that life might have meaning. So instead we should believe that molecules just happen to exist that just happened to assume a form, in a cell nucleus too small to see with the naked eye, capable of developing into human beings capable of building computers, writing symphonies, and doubting validity of existence? Really?

I also especially appreciated what Schrödinger had to say about ethics. “The ethical law in its simplest general form (be unselfish!) is plainly a fact . . . agreed upon by the vast majority of those who do not very often keep it. I regard its puzzling existence as an indication of our being in the beginning of a biological transformation from an egoistic to an altruistic general attitude, of man being about to become an animal social.” “Egoism is a destructive vice in any kind of community.” Since “consciousness is a phenomenon in the zone of evolution,” then it follows “that consciousness and discord with one’s own self are inseparably linked up.” Nietzsche frenetically disagrees with this, but his philosophy was based upon the premise that the universe is fundamentally immoral, rather than merely amoral as materialists believe, so perpetual war, and exploitation of the defeated, is the supreme virtue. Ayn Rand’s “The Virtue of Selfishness” was based upon a blatantly dishonest and shallow definition of the word. It does make sense that if consciousness has intrinsic existence, then it would also possess certain qualities. Perhaps the wise men of the ages have an inkling of those qualities. Religious experiences are overwhelming, not easily, or at least not convincingly, explained from the materialist model of reality; and these experiences, however superstitiously interpreted, have not only shaped human history but also determined how people think about themselves. However hypocritically.

Schrödinger also has fascinating speculations about how behavior altered by traits acquired by natural selection may mimic Lamarckian evolution. He also points out that natural selection is not like artificial selection, because the former relies upon mutations. He likens mutations to quantum jumps in the gene molecule. Mutations are rare, most of them are harmful, yet these mutations must harmonize in order for an organism to develop something such as an eye. The eye is useless without a skull socket able to contain it, and a brain capable of interpreting the information it gathers. This all relies upon DNA producing the correct proteins, which are often hundreds of units long and require very specific sequencing. Calculations easily show how improbable it is that even one of them could be produced haphazardly within the lifetime of the universe. Yet there they are. Why is it considered irrational to suppose there might be a natural harmony at work here?
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Top reviews from other countries

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Prof. Antonio Lobo
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book.
Reviewed in Spain on October 14, 2023
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Great book.
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Cliente Amazon
5.0 out of 5 stars I loved it
Reviewed in Brazil on January 30, 2021
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Absolutely amazing, as a physicist I would recommend it to any other physicist with a minimum interest in biology
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Really good!
Reviewed in Canada on December 19, 2021
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Thanks
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Joe
5.0 out of 5 stars Educational
Reviewed in Germany on October 26, 2019
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With today’s rapid developments in molecular biology and the increasing possibilities in biotech Engineering some basic knowledge of genetics seems to be more and more important.
Although the DNA helix was not discovered at the time Schrödinger‘s lecture covers the very fundaments of our modern days understanding of genetics.
For today’s reader it may connect the dots or, what may be more important, it can offer insight into a way of thinking about the subject.
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labaki fadi
5.0 out of 5 stars parfait
Reviewed in France on May 29, 2019
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pas de problème
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