Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
Fig. 8.11
A suggested
complementarity between
physics
and
computer science
,
or more generally between
energy science
and
information science
Biology
(
Gnergy Science
)
Physics
Computer Science
(
Energy Science
)
(
Information Science
)
role that thermal noise (also called thermal activations, fluctuations or Brownian
motions) must play in the workings of molecular motors is now widely recognized
(Astumian 2000, 2001). Thus, the conformon theory of molecular machines
formulated between 1972 and 1985 may provide reasonable answers to the three
von Neumann questions listed in Statement 8.21.
As pointed out by Pattee (1996), we can view the von Neumann questions
as being related to the problem of the
epistemic cut
between symbolic control/
computation and dynamic laws, between rate-independent boundary conditions and
rate-dependent dynamics, between the subject and the object, and between symbol
(or sign) and matter. To this list of complementary pairs, we may add another pair
that embodies an epistemic cut -
computer science
and
physics
, or more generally
information science
and
energy science
. This gap may be bridged by biology, the
science of conformons (or more generally the science of “gnergy,” the complemen-
Since complementarity between A and B presupposes the existence of a third
term C (because A and B must be complementary aspects of something) (Sect.
(viewed as A) and computer science (B). Biology, being the science of gnergy,
seems to be ideally suited to be the C term. It is hoped that the introduction of the
third term C (e.g., Gnergy) into the contemporary discourses in physics, biology,
computer science, and philosophy will help clarify controversial issues involving
dichotomous pairs such as
boundary conditions
versus
dynamic laws
, the
subject
versus the
object
, the
mind
versus the
body
, etc.
