In classical physics, space, time, and matter were considered as basic concepts of a steady-state universe. In the framework of modern science, the universe is no longer a dead mechanical clockwork: It seems to evolve as a self-organizing complex system according to phase transitions with the emergence of new materials, life, consciousness, and intelligence. Life is no random event at the edge of the universe. Are we alone? What are the common structures and laws of this development? In the age of computers, computer simulations and computer experiments deliver first insights into the information processing of complex systems. Information itself seems to be a fundamental ingredient in the evolution of the universe. These concepts of modern science lead back to ancient ideas in the philosophy of nature.

Literature: K. Mainzer, Symmetries of Nature, Berlin: De Gruyter 1996; Thinking in Complexity: The Complex Dynamics of Matter, Mind, and Mankind, New York: Springer 1997 (3rd ed.); The Little Book of Time, New York: Copernicus Books 2002.