11 research outputs found
The pursuit of knowledge and the problem of the unconceived alternatives
In the process of scientific discovery, knowledge ampliation is pursued by means of non-deductive inferences. When ampliative reasoning is performed, probabilities cannot be assigned objectively. One of the reasons is that we face the problem of the unconceived alternatives: we are unable to explore the space of all the possible alternatives to a given hypothesis, because we do not know how this space is shaped. So, if we want to adequately account for the process of knowledge ampliation, we need to develop an account of the process of scientific discovery which is not exclusively based on probability calculus. We argue that the analytic view of the method of science advocated by Cellucci is interestingly suited to this goal, since it rests on the concept of plausibility. In this perspective, in order to account for how probabilities are in fact assigned in uncertain contexts and knowledge ampliation is really pursued, we have to take into account plausibility-based considerations
Actuating (Auto)Poiesis
This paper claims that the use of the computer as generative methodological tool for designing urban and building scenarios (when perceived systematically) is a misnomer, because the typical approach does not account for the incompleteness of computational processes. We will argue that the computerisation of architectural and urban scenarios with autopoietic and/or artificial life simulations does not account for what Edsger W. Dijkstra called âradical noveltyâ; and Gilles Deleuze termed âline of flightâ. Typical computational methods do not open up genuine alternatives that produce radical morphologies. Our argument is predicated on the dominant notion of computation as opposed to a critique of computation per se. A critical analysis of the perception of novelty is made to support our view, and its connection with the incompleteness of axiomatic systems is explored in relation to three phases of cybernetic enquiry. Our argument draws on the ontologies of Alfred North Whitehead and Gilles Deleuze, which we utilise to reorient computational design to emphasise the potential of generating radical novelty and identify the inherent locus therein a matter of nonhuman decision-making
Some resonances between Eastern thought and Integral Biomathics in the framework of the WLIMES formalism for modelling living systems
Forty-two years ago, Capra published âThe Tao of Physicsâ (Capra, 1975). In this book (page 17) he writes: âThe exploration of the atomic and subatomic world in the twentieth century has âŠ. necessitated a radical revision of many of our basic conceptsâ and that, unlike âclassicalâ physics, the sub-atomic and quantum âmodern physicsâ shows resonances with Eastern thoughts and âleads us to a view of the world which is very similar to the views held by mystics of all ages and traditions.â This article stresses an analogous situation in biology with respect to a new theoretical approach for studying living systems, Integral Biomathics (IB), which also exhibits some resonances with Eastern thought. Stepping on earlier research in cybernetics1 and theoretical biology,2 IB has been developed since 2011 by over 100 scientists from a number of disciplines who have been exploring a substantial set of theoretical frameworks. From that effort, the need for a robust core model utilizing advanced mathematics and computation adequate for understanding the behavior of organisms as dynamic wholes was identified. At this end, the authors of this article have proposed WLIMES (Ehresmann and Simeonov, 2012), a formal theory for modeling living systems integrating both the Memory Evolutive Systems (Ehresmann and Vanbremeersch, 2007) and the Wandering Logic Intelligence (Simeonov, 2002b). Its principles will be recalled here with respect to their
resonances to Eastern thought
Classical, quantum and biological randomness as relative unpredictability
International audienceWe propose the thesis that randomness is unpredictability with respect to an intended theory and measurement. From this point view we briefly discuss various forms of randomness that physics, mathematics and computing science have proposed. Computing science allows to discuss unpredictability in an abstract, yet very expressive way, which yields useful hierarchies of randomness and may help to relate its various forms in natural sciences. Finally we discuss biological randomness â its peculiar nature and role in ontogenesis and in evolutionary dynamics (phylogenesis). Randomness in biology has a positive character as it contributes to the organisms' and populations' structural stability by adaptation and diversity. Abstract We propose the thesis that randomness is unpredictability with respect to an intended theory and measurement. From this point view we briefly discuss various forms of randomness that physics, mathematics and computing science have proposed. Computing science allows to discuss unpredictability in an abstract, yet very expressive way, which yields useful hierarchies of randomness and may help to relate its various forms in natural sciences. Finally we discuss biological randomnessâits peculiar nature and role in ontogenesis and in evolutionary dynamics (phylogenesis). Randomness in biology has a positive character as it contributes to the organisms' and populations' structural stability by adaptation and diversity
Synthetic Philosophy of Mathematics and Natural Sciences Conceptual analyses from a Grothendieckian Perspective
ISBN-13: 978-0692593974. Giuseppe Longo. Synthetic Philosophy of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Conceptual analyses from a Grothendieckian Perspective, Reflections on âSynthetic Philosophy of Contemporary Mathematicsâ by F. Zalamea, Urbanomic (UK) and Sequence Press (USA), 2012. Invited Paper, in Speculations: Journal of Speculative Realism, Published: 12/12/2015, followed by an answer by F. Zalamea.International audienceZalameaâs book is as original as it is belated. It is indeed surprising, if we give it a momentâs thought, just how greatly behind schedule philosophical reflection on contemporary mathematics lags, especially considering the momentous changes that took place in the second half of the twentieth century. Zalamea compares this situation with that of the philosophy of physics: he mentions DâEspagnatâs work on quantum mechanics, but we could add several others who, in the last few decades, have elaborated an extremely timely philosophy of contemporary physics (see for example Bitbol 2000; Bitbol et al. 2009). As was the case in biology, philosophy â since Kantâs crucial observations in the Critique of Judgment, at least â has often ârun aheadâ of life sciences, exploring and opening up a space for reflections that are not derived from or integrated with its contemporary scientific practice. Some of these reflections are still very much auspicious today. And indeed, some philosophers today are saying something truly new about biology..
Stepping Beyond the Newtonian Paradigm in Biology. Towards an Integrable Model of Life: Accelerating Discovery in the Biological Foundations of Science
The INBIOSA project brings together a group of experts across many disciplines
who believe that science requires a revolutionary transformative
step in order to address many of the vexing challenges presented by the
world. It is INBIOSAâs purpose to enable the focused collaboration of an
interdisciplinary community of original thinkers.
This paper sets out the case for support for this effort. The focus of the
transformative research program proposal is biology-centric. We admit
that biology to date has been more fact-oriented and less theoretical than
physics. However, the key leverageable idea is that careful extension of the
science of living systems can be more effectively applied to some of our
most vexing modern problems than the prevailing scheme, derived from
abstractions in physics. While these have some universal application and
demonstrate computational advantages, they are not theoretically mandated
for the living. A new set of mathematical abstractions derived from biology
can now be similarly extended. This is made possible by leveraging
new formal tools to understand abstraction and enable computability. [The
latter has a much expanded meaning in our context from the one known
and used in computer science and biology today, that is "by rote algorithmic
means", since it is not known if a living system is computable in this
sense (Mossio et al., 2009).] Two major challenges constitute the effort.
The first challenge is to design an original general system of abstractions
within the biological domain. The initial issue is descriptive leading to the
explanatory. There has not yet been a serious formal examination of the
abstractions of the biological domain. What is used today is an amalgam;
much is inherited from physics (via the bridging abstractions of chemistry)
and there are many new abstractions from advances in mathematics (incentivized
by the need for more capable computational analyses). Interspersed
are abstractions, concepts and underlying assumptions ânativeâ to biology
and distinct from the mechanical language of physics and computation as
we know them. A pressing agenda should be to single out the most concrete
and at the same time the most fundamental process-units in biology
and to recruit them into the descriptive domain. Therefore, the first challenge
is to build a coherent formal system of abstractions and operations
that is truly native to living systems.
Nothing will be thrown away, but many common methods will be philosophically
recast, just as in physics relativity subsumed and reinterpreted
Newtonian mechanics.
This step is required because we need a comprehensible, formal system to
apply in many domains. Emphasis should be placed on the distinction between
multi-perspective analysis and synthesis and on what could be the
basic terms or tools needed.
The second challenge is relatively simple: the actual application of this set
of biology-centric ways and means to cross-disciplinary problems. In its
early stages, this will seem to be a ânew scienceâ.
This White Paper sets out the case of continuing support of Information
and Communication Technology (ICT) for transformative research in biology
and information processing centered on paradigm changes in the epistemological,
ontological, mathematical and computational bases of the science
of living systems. Today, curiously, living systems cannot be said to
be anything more than dissipative structures organized internally by genetic
information. There is not anything substantially different from abiotic
systems other than the empirical nature of their robustness. We believe that
there are other new and unique properties and patterns comprehensible at
this bio-logical level. The report lays out a fundamental set of approaches
to articulate these properties and patterns, and is composed as follows.
Sections 1 through 4 (preamble, introduction, motivation and major biomathematical
problems) are incipient. Section 5 describes the issues affecting
Integral Biomathics and Section 6 -- the aspects of the Grand Challenge
we face with this project. Section 7 contemplates the effort to
formalize a General Theory of Living Systems (GTLS) from what we have
today. The goal is to have a formal system, equivalent to that which exists
in the physics community. Here we define how to perceive the role of time
in biology. Section 8 describes the initial efforts to apply this general theory
of living systems in many domains, with special emphasis on crossdisciplinary
problems and multiple domains spanning both âhardâ and
âsoftâ sciences. The expected result is a coherent collection of integrated
mathematical techniques. Section 9 discusses the first two test cases, project
proposals, of our approach. They are designed to demonstrate the ability
of our approach to address âwicked problemsâ which span across physics,
chemistry, biology, societies and societal dynamics. The solutions
require integrated measurable results at multiple levels known as âgrand
challengesâ to existing methods. Finally, Section 10 adheres to an appeal
for action, advocating the necessity for further long-term support of the
INBIOSA program.
The report is concluded with preliminary non-exclusive list of challenging
research themes to address, as well as required administrative actions. The
efforts described in the ten sections of this White Paper will proceed concurrently.
Collectively, they describe a program that can be managed and
measured as it progresses
Incomputability in Physics and Biology
Giuseppe Longo. Incomputability in Physics and Biology. Invited Lecture, Proceedings of Computability in Europe, Azores, Pt, June 30 - July 4, LNCS 6158, Springer, 2010. (revised version in: Mathematical Structures in Computer Science, Vol. 22, n. 5, Special Issue, pp. 880 - 900, octobre 2012). (incomput-phys-bio.pdf)International audienceComputability has its origins in Logic within the framework formed along the original path laid down by the founding fathers of the modern foundational analysis for Mathematics (Frege and Hilbert). This theoretical itinerary, which was largely focused on Logic and Arithmetic, departed in principle from the renewed relations between Geometry and Physics occurring at the time. In particular, the key issue of physical measurement, as our only access to 'reality', played no part in its theoretical framework. This is in stark contrast to the position in Physics, where the role of measurement has been a core theoretical and epistemological issue since Poincaré, Planck and Einstein. Furthermore, measurement is intimately related to unpredictability, (in-)determinism and the relationship with physical space-time. Computability, despite having exact access to its own discrete data type, provides a unique tool for the investigation of 'unpredictability' in both Physics and Biology through its fine-grained analysis of undecidability-note that unpredictability coincides with physical randomness in both classical and quantum frames. Moreover, it now turns out that an understanding of randomness in Physics and Biology is a key component of the intelligibility of Nature. In this paper, we will discuss a few results following along this line of thought