Theoretical approaches to holistic biological features: Pattern formation, neural networks and the brain-mind relation

Journal of biosciences

Alfred Gierer1¹ 

[1] Max-Planck-Institute for Developmental Biology, Spemannstraße 35, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany$$

关键词: Consciousness;    Goedel;    Heisenberg;    human genome;    lateral inhibition;    systems theory;    Trembley;    Turing;    Wolff;   

DOI  :  

来源: Indian Academy of Sciences

【 摘 要 】

The topic of this article is the relation between bottom-up and top-down, reductionist and ``holistic” approaches to the solution of basic biological problems. While there is no doubt that the laws of physics apply to all events in space and time, including the domains of life, understanding biology depends not only on elucidating the role of the molecules involved, but, to an increasing extent, on systems theoretical approaches in diverse fields of the life sciences. Examples discussed in this article are the generation of spatial patterns in development by the interplay of autocatalysis and lateral inhibition; the evolution of integrating capabilities of the human brain, such as cognition-based empathy; and both neurobiological and epistemological aspects of scientific theories of consciousness and the mind.

【 授权许可】

Unknown