Technological Approach to Mind Everywhere: An Experimentally-Grounded Framework for Understanding Diverse Bodies and Minds

Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 16

Published: March 24, 2022

Synthetic biology and bioengineering provide the opportunity to create novel embodied cognitive systems (otherwise known as minds) in a very wide variety of chimeric architectures combining evolved designed material software. These advances are disrupting familiar concepts philosophy mind, require new ways thinking about comparing truly diverse intelligences, whose composition origin not like any available natural model species. In this Perspective, I introduce TAME-Technological Approach Mind Everywhere-a framework for understanding manipulating cognition unconventional substrates. TAME formalizes non-binary (continuous), empirically-based approach strongly agency. provides way think animal sentience an instance collective intelligence cell groups, arising from dynamics that manifest similar numerous other When applied regenerating/developmental systems, suggests perspective on morphogenesis example basal cognition. The deep symmetry between problem-solving anatomical, physiological, transcriptional, 3D (traditional behavioral) spaces drives specific hypotheses by which capacities can increase during evolution. An important medium exploited evolution joining active subunits into greater agents is developmental bioelectricity, implemented pre-neural use ion channels gap junctions scale up cell-level feedback loops anatomical homeostasis. This architecture multi-scale competency biological has implications plasticity bodies minds, greatly potentiating evolvability. Considering classical recent data perspectives computational science, evolutionary biology, cognition, reveals rich research program with many regenerative medicine, artificial intelligence.

Language: Английский

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Competency in Navigating Arbitrary Spaces as an Invariant for Analyzing Cognition in Diverse Embodiments

Entropy, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 24(6), P. 819 - 819

Published: June 12, 2022

One of the most salient features life is its capacity to handle novelty and namely thrive adapt new circumstances changes in both environment internal components. An understanding this central several fields: evolution form function, design effective strategies for biomedicine, creation novel forms via chimeric bioengineering technologies. Here, we review instructive examples living organisms solving diverse problems propose competent navigation arbitrary spaces as an invariant thinking about scaling cognition during evolution. We argue that our innate recognize agency intelligence unfamiliar guises lags far behind ability detect it familiar behavioral contexts. The multi-scale competency essential adaptive potentiating providing top-down control (not micromanagement) address complex disease injury. observer-focused viewpoint agnostic scale implementation, illustrating how pivoted similar explore exploit metabolic, transcriptional, morphological, finally 3D motion spaces. By generalizing concept behavior, gain perspectives on evolution, system-level biomedical interventions, construction bioengineered intelligences. This framework a first step toward relating highly embodiments, which will be progress artificial regenerative medicine thriving world increasingly populated by synthetic, bio-robotic, hybrid beings.

Language: Английский

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On Bayesian mechanics: a physics of and by beliefs

Interface Focus, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 13(3)

Published: April 14, 2023

The aim of this paper is to introduce a field study that has emerged over the last decade, called Bayesian mechanics. mechanics probabilistic mechanics, comprising tools enable us model systems endowed with particular partition (i.e. into particles), where internal states (or trajectories states) system encode parameters beliefs about external their trajectories). These allow write down mechanical theories for look as if they are estimating posterior probability distributions causes sensory states. This provides formal language modelling constraints, forces, potentials and other quantities determining dynamics such systems, especially entail on space statistical manifold). Here, we will review state art in literature free energy principle, distinguishing between three ways which been applied path-tracking, mode-tracking mode-matching). We go examine duality principle constrained maximum entropy both lie at heart discuss its implications.

Language: Английский

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Bioelectric networks: the cognitive glue enabling evolutionary scaling from physiology to mind

Animal Cognition, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 26(6), P. 1865 - 1891

Published: May 19, 2023

Abstract Each of us made the remarkable journey from mere matter to mind: starting life as a quiescent oocyte (“just chemistry and physics”), slowly, gradually, becoming an adult human with complex metacognitive processes, hopes, dreams. In addition, even though we feel ourselves be unified, single Self, distinct emergent dynamics termite mounds other swarms, reality is that all intelligence collective intelligence: each consists huge number cells working together generate coherent cognitive being goals, preferences, memories belong whole not its parts. Basal cognition quest understand how Mind scales—how large numbers competent subunits can work become intelligences expand scale their possible goals. Crucially, trick turning homeostatic, cell-level physiological competencies into large-scale behavioral limited electrical brain. Evolution was using bioelectric signaling long before neurons muscles appeared, solve problem creating repairing bodies. this Perspective, I review deep symmetry between developmental morphogenesis classical behavior. describe highly conserved mechanisms enable implement regulative embryogenesis, regeneration, cancer suppression. sketch story evolutionary pivot repurposed algorithms cellular machinery navigation morphospace 3D world which so readily recognize intelligence. Understanding underlie construction bodies brains provides essential path understanding natural evolution, bioengineered design, diverse within beyond phylogenetic history Earth.

Language: Английский

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Darwin’s agential materials: evolutionary implications of multiscale competency in developmental biology

Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 80(6)

Published: May 8, 2023

Abstract A critical aspect of evolution is the layer developmental physiology that operates between genotype and anatomical phenotype. While much work has addressed mechanisms evolvability specific genetic architectures with emergent complexity, one not been sufficiently explored: implications morphogenetic problem-solving competencies for evolutionary process itself. The cells works are passive components: rather, they have numerous capabilities behavior because derive from ancestral unicellular organisms rich repertoires. In multicellular organisms, these must be tamed, can exploited, by process. Specifically, biological structures a multiscale competency architecture where cells, tissues, organs exhibit regulative plasticity—the ability to adjust perturbations such as external injury or internal modifications still accomplish adaptive tasks across metabolic, transcriptional, physiological, problem spaces. Here, I review examples illustrating how physiological circuits guiding cellular collective impart computational properties agential material serves substrate then explore ways in which intelligence during morphogenesis affect evolution, providing new perspective on search This key feature software life helps explain remarkable speed robustness sheds light relationship genomes functional phenotypes.

Language: Английский

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Synthetic morphology with agential materials

Nature Reviews Bioengineering, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 1(1), P. 46 - 59

Published: Jan. 19, 2023

Bioengineering can address many important needs, from transformative biomedicine to environmental remediation. In addition practical applications, the construction of new living systems will increase our understanding biology and nurture emerging intersections between biological computational sciences. this Review, we discuss transition cell-level synthetic multicellular morphology. We highlight experimental embryology studies, including organoids xenobots, that go beyond familiar, default outcomes embryogenesis, revealing plasticity, interoperability problem-solving capacities life. traditional bottom-up engineering genes proteins, design strategies be pursued based on modelling cell collectives as agential materials, with their own goals, agendas powers problem-solving. Such an bioengineering approach could transform developmental biology, regenerative medicine robotics, building frameworks include active, matter. Synthetic morphogenesis is limited by knowledge gaps about competencies cells groups. This Review discusses a framework empirically determined properties cells, goal-seeking behaviours, which allow creation complex devices cannot built using approaches.

Language: Английский

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Collective intelligence: A unifying concept for integrating biology across scales and substrates

Communications Biology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 7(1)

Published: March 28, 2024

Abstract A defining feature of biology is the use a multiscale architecture, ranging from molecular networks to cells, tissues, organs, whole bodies, and swarms. Crucially however, not only nested structurally, but also functionally: each level able solve problems in distinct problem spaces, such as physiological, morphological, behavioral state space. Percolating adaptive functionality one competent subunits higher functional organization requires collective dynamics: multiple components must work together achieve specific outcomes. Here we overview number biological examples at different scales which highlight ability cellular material make decisions that implement cooperation toward homeodynamic endpoints, intelligence by solving cell, tissue, whole-organism levels. We explore hypothesis province groups animals, an important symmetry exists between science swarms competencies cells other systems scales. then briefly outline implications this approach, possible impact tools field diverse for regenerative medicine synthetic bioengineering.

Language: Английский

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A Landscape of Consciousness: Toward a Taxonomy of Explanations and Implications

Progress in Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 190, P. 28 - 169

Published: Jan. 26, 2024

Diverse explanations or theories of consciousness are arrayed on a roughly physicalist-to-nonphysicalist landscape essences and mechanisms. Categories: Materialism Theories (philosophical, neurobiological, electromagnetic field, computational informational, homeostatic affective, embodied enactive, relational, representational, language, phylogenetic evolution); Non-Reductive Physicalism; Quantum Theories; Integrated Information Theory; Panpsychisms; Monisms; Dualisms; Idealisms; Anomalous Altered States Challenge Theories. There many subcategories, especially for Each explanation is self-described by its adherents, critique minimal only clarification, there no attempt to adjudicate among theories. The implications assessed with respect four questions: meaning/purpose/value (if any); AI consciousness; virtual immortality; survival beyond death. A Landscape Consciousness, I suggest, offers perspective.

Language: Английский

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A free energy principle for generic quantum systems

Progress in Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 173, P. 36 - 59

Published: May 23, 2022

Language: Английский

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Endless forms most beautiful 2.0: teleonomy and the bioengineering of chimaeric and synthetic organisms

Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 139(4), P. 457 - 486

Published: July 14, 2022

Abstract The rich variety of biological forms and behaviours results from one evolutionary history on Earth, via frozen accidents selection in specific environments. This ubiquitous baggage natural, familiar model species obscures the plasticity swarm intelligence cellular collectives. Significant gaps exist our understanding origin anatomical novelty, relationship between genome form, strategies for control large-scale structure function regenerative medicine bioengineering. Analysis living that have never existed before is necessary to reveal deep design principles life as it can be. We briefly review existing examples chimaeras, cyborgs, hybrots other beings along spectrum containing evolved designed systems. To drive experimental progress multicellular synthetic morphology, we propose teleonomic (goal-seeking, problem-solving) behaviour diverse problem spaces a powerful invariant across possible regardless composition or origin. Cybernetic perspectives chimaeric morphogenesis erase artificial distinctions established by past limitations technology imagination. suggest multi-scale competency architecture facilitates evolution robust problem-solving, machines. Creation analysis novel will be an essential testbed emerging field intelligence, with numerous implications medicine, robotics ethics.

Language: Английский

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