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

Entropy, Год журнала: 2022, Номер 24(6), С. 819 - 819

Опубликована: Июнь 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.

Язык: Английский

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On Bayesian mechanics: a physics of and by beliefs

Interface Focus, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 13(3)

Опубликована: Апрель 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.

Язык: Английский

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

Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 80(6)

Опубликована: Май 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.

Язык: Английский

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

Communications Biology, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 7(1)

Опубликована: Март 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.

Язык: Английский

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Living Things Are Not (20th Century) Machines: Updating Mechanism Metaphors in Light of the Modern Science of Machine Behavior

Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, Год журнала: 2021, Номер 9

Опубликована: Март 16, 2021

One of the most useful metaphors for driving scientific and engineering progress has been that “machine.” Much controversy exists about applicability this concept in life sciences. Advances molecular biology have revealed numerous design principles can be harnessed to understand cells from an perspective, build novel devices rationally exploit laws chemistry, physics, computation. At same time, organicists point many unique features life, especially at larger scales organization, which resisted decomposition analysis artificial implementation. Here, we argue much debate focused on inessential aspects machines – classical properties surpassed by advances modern Machine Behavior no longer apply. This emerging multidisciplinary field, interface machine learning, synthetic bioengineering, is highlighting inadequacy existing definitions. Key terms such as machine, robot, program, software, evolved, designed, etc., need revised light technological theoretical moved past dated philosophical conceptions limited our understanding both evolved designed systems. Moving beyond contingent historical current will enable conceptual tools embrace inevitable hybrid bioengineering computer science, toward a framework identifies essential distinctions between fundamental concepts living agents. Progress theory practical applications requires establishment conception “machines they could be,” based profound lessons all scales. We sketch perspective acknowledges remarkable, help re-define key terms, identify deep, future sharp boundaries systems not exist.

Язык: Английский

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Is the Free-Energy Principle a Formal Theory of Semantics? From Variational Density Dynamics to Neural and Phenotypic Representations

Entropy, Год журнала: 2020, Номер 22(8), С. 889 - 889

Опубликована: Авг. 13, 2020

The aim of this paper is twofold: (1) to assess whether the construct neural representations plays an explanatory role under variational free-energy principle and its corollary process theory, active inference; (2) if so, which philosophical stance—in relation ontological epistemological status representations—is most appropriate. We focus on non-realist (deflationary fictionalist-instrumentalist) approaches. consider a deflationary account mental representation, according explanatorily relevant contents are mathematical, rather than cognitive, fictionalist or instrumentalist account, scientifically useful fictions that serve (and other) aims. After reviewing inference, we argue model adaptive phenotypes can be used furnish formal semantics, enabling us assign semantic content specific phenotypic states (the internal Markovian system exists far from equilibrium). propose modified account—an organism-centered fictionalism instrumentalism. that, principle, pursuing even licenses appeal kind involved in ‘aboutness’ intentionality cognitive systems; our position thus coherent with, but rests distinct assumptions from, realist position. thereby explains aboutness living systems hence their capacity parse sensory stream using ontology set factors.

Язык: Английский

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Biomolecular Basis of Cellular Consciousness via Subcellular Nanobrains

International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Год журнала: 2021, Номер 22(5), С. 2545 - 2545

Опубликована: Март 3, 2021

Cells emerged at the very beginning of life on Earth and, in fact, are coterminous with life. They enclosed within an excitable plasma membrane, which defines outside and inside domains via their specific biophysical properties. Unicellular organisms, such as diverse protists algae, still live a cellular However, fungi, plants, animals evolved multicellular existence. Recently, we have developed basis consciousness (CBC) model, proposes that all biological awareness, sentience grounded general cell biology. Here discuss biomolecular structures processes allow for maintain this from evolutionary perspective.

Язык: Английский

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Minimal physicalism as a scale-free substrate for cognition and consciousness

Neuroscience of Consciousness, Год журнала: 2021, Номер 2021(2)

Опубликована: Май 1, 2021

Abstract Theories of consciousness and cognition that assume a neural substrate automatically regard phylogenetically basal, nonneural systems as nonconscious noncognitive. Here, we advance scale-free characterization regards basal systems, including synthetic constructs, not only informative about the structure function experience in more complex but also offering distinct advantages for experimental manipulation. Our “minimal physicalist” approach makes no assumptions beyond those quantum information theory, hence is applicable from molecular scale upwards. We show standard concepts integrated information, state broadcasting via small-world networks, hierarchical Bayesian inference emerge naturally this setting, common phenomena stigmergic memory, perceptual coarse-graining, attention switching follow directly thermodynamic requirements classical computation. self-representation lies at heart human autonoetic awareness can be traced far back as, serves same basic functions stress response bacteria other systems.

Язык: 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, Год журнала: 2022, Номер 139(4), С. 457 - 486

Опубликована: Июль 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.

Язык: Английский

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A free energy principle for generic quantum systems

Progress in Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Год журнала: 2022, Номер 173, С. 36 - 59

Опубликована: Май 23, 2022

Язык: Английский

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