The successes of physics are often in the form of invariance principles, which characterize many disparate phenomena independently of context, and are derived by studying isolable systems. Such systems are largely insensitive to context, and particularly useful for the science of mechanics, which underwrites virtually all of our technological advancement. The success of mechanics often compels us to assume its genericity - that mechanics is fundamental to all natural phenomena. Consequently, science sees the natural world as essentially mechanical, including even the biosphere. As it is argued, organisms (and other natural phenomena) are not isolable mechanical systems, but are instead composed of mutually supporting dissipative processes that span system-environment boundaries. The life sciences nevertheless implicitly or explicitly treat organisms as machines, leading to problems from mathematizing complex phenomena to interrogating mental processes. Organisms are members of a class of systems ontologically distinct from machines, dissipative structures; self-organizing, far from equilibrium systems. Some such systems are intrinsically end-directed, adaptive, and flexible - properties that typify life. The science of these non-isolable systems may not be reducible to mechanics, and may be embodied in what others have called a new physics. Our current scientific and technological paradigms stem from the historical sucesses of studying isolable systems. If we pursue a science of non-isolable systems not only will we better understand biology and other natural systems by fitting them into a more proper ontological category, but we may develop new technologies which are intrinsically flexible, adaptive, and autonomous.
Ben De Bari
Discuss on Forums
View All