Without tackling the fundamental philosophy of biological complexity, we might never truly understand how living organisms work
Kevin J Mitchell is associate professor in developmental neurobiology at Trinity College, Dublin. He can be found on Twitter @WiringtheBrain
The Biologist 64(6) p6
What are ‘the laws of biology’?Without tackling the fundamental philosophy of biological complexity, we might never truly understand how living organisms workThe Biologist 64(6) p6
Crick’s Central Dogma has been a foundational aspect of 20th century biology, describing an implicit relationship governing the flow of information in biological systems in biomolecular terms. Accumulating scientific discoveries support the need for a revised Central Dogma to buttress evolutionary biology’s still-fledgling migration from a Neodarwinian canon. A reformulated Central Dogma to meet contemporary biology is proposed: all biology is cognitive information processing. Central to this contention is the recognition that life is the self-referential state, instantiated within the cellular form. Self-referential cells act to sustain themselves and to do so, cells must be in consistent harmony with their environment. That consonance is achieved by the continuous assimilation of environmental cues and stresses as information to self-referential observers. All received cellular information must be analyzed to be deployed as cellular problem-solving to maintain homeorhetic equipoise. However, the effective implementation of information is definitively a function of orderly information management. Consequently, effective cellular problem-solving is information processing and management. The epicenter of that cellular information processing is its self-referential internal measurement. All further biological self-organization initiates from this obligate activity. As the internal measurement by cells of information is self-referential by definition, self-reference is biological self-organization, underpinning 21st century Cognition-Based Biology.
A revised central dogma for the 21st century: All biology is cognitive information processingAuthor links open overlay panelWilliam B. Miller Jr. a, František Baluška b, Arthur S. Reber c
I was invited by ‘Metaphorum’, a community of practice developing and applying the work of Stafford Beer, to share some thoughts and insights in the field of cybernetics.
Cham, K., & Johnson, J. (2007). Complexity Theory: A Science of Cultural Systems?. M/C Journal, 10(3). https://doi.org/10.5204/mcj.2672
Complexity TheoryA Science of Cultural Systems?AuthorsKaren ChamJeffrey JohnsonDOI: https://doi.org/10.5204/mcj.2672How to CiteCham, K., & Johnson, J. (2007). Complexity Theory: A Science of Cultural Systems?. M/C Journal, 10(3). https://doi.org/10.5204/mcj.2672
Healthcare systems design: A participatory outcome-based approach for multistakeholder negotiation CiteDownload (28.59 MB)ShareEmbed+ CollectThesis posted on 2022-07-14, 15:14 authored by Cecilia Landa-Avila
Productivity growth means getting more output from fewer inputs. It is a key goal of conventional economic policy. But ‘productivity growth’ is a vague concept and there are large gaps in our understanding of it. This ESRC funded project explores links between the different types of productivity and two major gaps: the relationship between energy and producanoctivity, and wellbeing and productivity. The aim is to map the existing evidence base and guide future ESRC productivity research.
Addressing the interactions between people, products, technologies, services, procedures, policies and culture which, when combined, form complex socio-technical systems.
Complex Systems
Addressing the interactions between people, products, technologies, services, procedures, policies and culture which, when combined, form complex socio-technical systems.
Systems Community of Inquiry 
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