Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
(6) Due to nonlinear interactions, qualitatively new properties may emerge;
whether this happens depends on the precise magnitudes of the parameter
values.
(7) Part of the structure and dynamics of the living cell may be prespecified
by evolution, by its mother cell and by the synthetic machinery therein.
(8) Living organisms are the product of dynamic interactions between struc-
tures and chemical reactions, where the latter determine the former and the
former determine the latter to quite significant extents.
(9) Much of biological mechanism and regulation is not determined by any
single factor but by a multitude of factors.
(10) The simplicity of mechanisms that serves as Occam's razor in the decision
between competing theories in physics is of comparatively lower real value
in biology. Functionality and fitness and empirical facts rule over sim-
plicity. The actual mechanisms in systems biology may be more complex
than possible because of coselection for other purposes in evolutionary
optimization, because evolution may have led to systems that are optimal
locally but not globally, and because simplicity in human eyes may be
complex in systems biology terms (and
vice versa
).
Much of life is associated with organizational and intelligence aspects that
'emerge' from molecular behaviour (Kell & Welch, 1991). Although these emer-
gent properties are not in conflict with physics and chemistry, much of physics
and chemistry traditionally shies away from complexity, hysteresis and nonlin-
earity (although other parts such as those dealing with superconductivity, lasers,
ferroelectricity and other highly nonlinear phenomena cannot escape it). As we
discussed above, their paradigms favour the kind of simplicity and Occam's
razor strategy that may not be relevant for biology. We propose that this makes
systems biology (the part of biology that focuses on this kind of complexity)
its own science with, indeed, its own methodology and its own philosophical
foundations. We shall here then seek to contribute to the development of a
philosophical basis for this new science by describing some of the modes in
which it operates in practice.
4. TOWARDS A SYSTEMATIC METHODOLOGY OF SYSTEMS
BIOLOGY
Other chapters in this topic describe philosophical aspects that underlie modern
systems biology. Here we shall set down some of the methodologies of systems
biology as we observe them. As a conceptual context coming from practitioners
of systems biology, this may then serve for the further development of the
philosophy of this science.
