The Calculus of Life: Towards a Theory of Life (SpringerBriefs in Biology)

This Book Explores The Exciting World Of Theoretical Biology And Is Divided Into Three Sections. The First Section Examines The Roles Played By Renowned Scientists Such As Jacob, Monod, Rosen, Turing, Von Bertalanffy, Waddington And Woodger In Developing The Field Of Theoretical Biology. The Second Section, Aided With Numerous Examples, Supports The Idea That Logic And Computing Are Suitable Formal Languages To Describe And Understand Biological Phenomena. The Third And Final Section Is, Without Doubt, The Most Intellectually Challenging And Endeavors To Show The Possible Paths We Could Take To Compute A Cell - The Basic Unit Of Life - Or The Conditions Required For A Predictive Theory Of Biological Evolution; Ultimately, A Theory Of Life In The Light Of Modern Systems Biology. The Work Aims To Show That Modern Biology Is Closer Than Ever To Making Goethe's Dream Come True And That We Have Reached A Point Where Synthetic And Analytical Traditions Converge To Shed Light On The Living Being As A Whole. Theoretical Biology And Evolutionary Theory -- chance And Necessity -- tinkering And Evolution -- Concepts For A Theoretical Biology -- General Systems Theory And Systems Biology -- Logic, Computation And Biology -- Life -- Algorithmic Chemistry -- The Spaces Of Evolution -- Computing The Cell -- Gödel And The Blind Watchmaker -- In Conclusion: Goethe's Dream -- Subject Index. By Andrés Moya. Contents 6 Introduction 8 Part I Biology 15 1 Theoretical Biology and Evolutionary Theory 16 Abstract 16 1.1 Four Great Biologists 17 1.2 Theory of Evolution and Compositional Evolution 18 References 21 2 Chance and Necessity 22 Abstract 22 Reference 25 3 Tinkering and Evolution 26 Abstract 26 Reference 28 4 Concepts for a Theoretical Biology 29 Abstract 29 References 35 5 General Systems Theory and Systems Biology 36 Abstract 36 5.1 Systems Biology in the History of Biology 37 5.2 The Theoretical Method in Biology 39 References 41 Part II Logic and Computing 42 6 Logic, Computing and Biology 43 Abstract 43 6.1 Turing Machines and the Halting Problem 44 6.2 Algorithmic Complexity and Randomness in Biology 46 References 48 7 Life 49 Abstract 49 7.1 The Development of Complexity and Emergence 53 7.2 Determinism and Closed Evolution 56 References 58 8 Algorithmic Chemistry 59 Abstract 59 8.1 The Reactor and Experiments 60 8.2 Contingency and Necessity 64 References 66 Part III The Cell and Evolution 67 9 The Spaces of Evolution 68 Abstract 68 9.1 Laws Governing Organisms 69 9.2 Treatable Phenotypes 72 References 74 10 Computing the Cell 75 Abstract 75 10.1 Cell Theory Revisited 75 10.2 Organic Memory 78 References 79 11 Gödel and the Blind Watchmaker 80 Abstract 80 11.1 Gödel Incompleteness and Progressive Evolution 83 11.2 Lessons for Synthetic Biology 87 References 88 12 In Conclusion: Goethe’s Dream 89 Abstract 89 References 95 Index 96 Front Matter....Pages i-xiii Front Matter....Pages 1-1 Theoretical Biology and Evolutionary Theory....Pages 3-8 Chance and Necessity....Pages 9-12 Tinkering and Evolution....Pages 13-15 Concepts for a Theoretical Biology....Pages 17-23 General Systems Theory and Systems Biology....Pages 25-30 Front Matter....Pages 31-31 Logic, Computing and Biology....Pages 33-38 Life....Pages 39-48 Algorithmic Chemistry....Pages 49-56 Front Matter....Pages 57-57 The Spaces of Evolution....Pages 59-65 Computing the Cell....Pages 67-71 Gödel and the Blind Watchmaker....Pages 73-81 In Conclusion: Goethe’s Dream....Pages 83-89 Back Matter....Pages 91-95