FrontMatter -- Acknowledgments -- Contents -- Summary -- 1 Introduction -- 2 The Integral Role of Theory in Biology -- 3 Are There Still New Life Forms to Be Discovered? The Diversity of Life-Why It Exists and Why It's Important -- 4 What Role Does Life Play in the Metabolism of Planet Earth? -- 5 How Do Cells Really Work? -- 6 What Are the Engineering Principles of Life? -- 7 What Is the Information That Defines and Sustains Life? -- 8 What Determines How Organisms Behave in Their Worlds? -- 9 How Much Can We Tell About the Past-and Predict About the Future-by Studying Life on Earth Today? -- 10 Education:Learning to Think About the Elephant -- 11 Findings and Recommendations -- References -- Appendixes -- Appendix A: Statement of Task -- Appendix B: Biographical Sketches of Committee Members -- Appendix C: Workshop on Defining and Advancing the Conceptual Basis of Biological Science for the 21st Century.