What Is Life?
The Physical Aspect of the Living Cell
Overview of What Is Life?
Schrodinger's quantum physics masterpiece that revolutionized biology by inspiring Watson and Crick's DNA discovery. "What is Life?" bridges physics and genetics, answering how physical laws govern living organisms - a book that literally changed our understanding of existence itself.
Key Themes in What Is Life?
- quantum biology
- genetic code-script
- statistical physics
- negative entropy
- molecular heredity
Quotes from What Is Life?
Life could be understood through the lens of quantum mechanics.
If we were sensitive to individual atoms, life as we know it would be impossible.
Individual atomic behavior [is] unpredictable.
Darwin was mistaken in thinking natural selection works on small, continuous variations.
Mutations actually result from quantum jumps in gene molecules.
Characters in What Is Life?
- Erwin SchrödingerNobel Prize-winning physicist and author
- James WatsonScientist inspired by Schrödinger's work
- Francis CrickScientist inspired by Schrödinger's work
About the Author
About the Author of What Is Life?
Erwin Rudolf Josef Alexander Schrödinger (1887–1961) was a Nobel Prize-winning physicist and a pioneer of quantum theory, best known for authoring the groundbreaking scientific work What Is Life?, which bridges physics and biology.
A visionary theoretical physicist, he is also renowned for formulating the Schrödinger equation—a cornerstone of quantum mechanics. Schrödinger expanded his expertise into biology with What Is Life? in 1944, exploring life’s molecular basis through the lens of thermodynamics and genetics.
His interdisciplinary approach drew from his academic roles at institutions including the University of Zurich and Dublin’s Institute for Advanced Studies, where he later directed theoretical physics research. Beyond his scientific contributions, Schrödinger wrote extensively on philosophy and consciousness in works like My View of the World and Nature and the Greeks.
What Is Life? became a catalyst for molecular biology, directly inspiring Francis Crick and James Watson’s DNA structure discovery. Translated into over 20 languages, it remains a seminal text at the intersection of physics and life sciences.
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FAQs About This Book
What Is Life? explores life’s physical foundations through physics, biology, and philosophy. Schrödinger examines how living systems defy entropy by sustaining order, proposes quantum mechanics’ role in heredity, and speculates on consciousness as a unified phenomenon. The book bridges scientific rigor with existential inquiry, introducing concepts like “negative entropy” and foreshadowing DNA’s molecular structure.
This book suits science enthusiasts, biophysics students, and readers curious about life’s fundamental principles. Its interdisciplinary approach appeals to those interested in quantum theory’s intersection with biology or the philosophical implications of consciousness.
Yes. Despite its 1944 publication, the book remains influential for its prescient insights into genetics and thermodynamics. Biologists like Watson and Crick credited it for inspiring DNA research, while its blend of physics and metaphysics offers timeless relevance.
Schrödinger argues life maintains internal order by exporting entropy to its surroundings. Organisms consume “negative entropy” (free energy) from food or sunlight, offsetting thermodynamic decay while increasing universal disorder—a process aligning with the second law.
The paradox addresses how life achieves local order in a universe tending toward chaos. Schrödinger resolved it by showing living systems are open, not isolated: their self-organization is paid for by environmental entropy, obeying thermodynamic laws.
Schrödinger theorized genes contain an “aperiodic crystal” storing genetic code via quantum-level structure. This idea later informed the discovery of DNA’s irregular molecular lattice and its information-encoding properties.
He posits consciousness as a singular entity, comparing it to Hindu Brahman—a universal consciousness fragmented into individual minds. This metaphysical framework challenges dualism, suggesting “I” is a canvas for atomic interactions governed by physical laws.
- “Consciousness is a singular of which the plural is unknown”: Rejects fragmented identity, aligning with non-dualist philosophy.
- “Life feeds on negative entropy”: Describes organisms’ energy dependency to sustain order.
Critics note Schrödinger underestimated biochemistry’s role in genetics and overlooked enzymes’ importance. Some argue his thermodynamic model oversimplifies cellular complexity, while later DNA discoveries eclipsed his molecular hypotheses.
The book catalyzed molecular biology by framing heredity as a quantum-chemical puzzle. Its speculation about genetic “code-script” directly inspired Watson, Crick, and Wilkins to pursue DNA’s structure, revolutionizing 20th-century biology.
While Schrödinger’s work theorizes life’s physical basis, The Double Helix chronicles DNA’s empirical discovery. The former is conceptual and philosophical; the latter is a memoir of scientific rivalry and breakthrough.
As synthetic biology and AI challenge life’s boundaries, Schrödinger’s questions about order, information, and consciousness remain urgent. The book provides a framework for examining artificial life, quantum computing, and entropy-driven systems.
