Abstract
Similar empirical patterns of behavior are found in seemingly very different fields which once put together account for a « big history » approach of aging and evolution. It is shown that known curves for the creep of metals, the reliability of industrial systems, the mortality and survival of biological entities, learning, the general adaptation syndrome, (neo-)Darwinian evolution and the expansion of the universe can be compared and allow to conceive a general adaptation framework of complex adaptive systems. Equations are proposed for four shapes of curves found in laboratory and/or observational practice which can then be transformed into each other in function of the properties to be put into evidence. An entropy production can be linked to the phenomena under scope. The « big history » approach allows to go from global to peculiar. It thus shows the importance of using the correct orders of magnitude for the involved parameters (time, stress, temperature, energy …) when analysing a specific phenomenon.
Highlights
While Big History has only been named as such within the last few decades, [1,2,3] its recent analysts have recognized their indebtedness to Alexander von Humboldt, H
I have more recently sought to integrate the musings of my youth with how different fields can be put together in a global approach of aging and evolution to produce a «big history» perspective
I worked in a research centre studying creep of steels at very high temperatures (1473 – 1523 K); I focused on this field even though the topic usually receives brief attention in most curricula
Summary
While Big History has only been named as such within the last few decades, [1,2,3] its recent analysts have recognized their indebtedness to Alexander von Humboldt, H. [4,5] I remember having day-dreamed when I was 14 that it would be nice to be able to narrate the evolution of my family over say 30 or 50 generations to understand my immediate, present day family. I would search for a long path from what this family started with and went through to what this family had become after centuries. This was my « big history » dream!. I earned an engineering degree after having studied several scientific subjects in a rather compartmentalized way These studies allowed me to go deeply into well defined and focused scientific fields. I have more recently sought to integrate the musings of my youth with how different fields can be put together in a global approach of aging and evolution to produce a «big history» perspective
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
