BioPhysics Week 1: Life and Living Systems

Just in case you thought it might be hot here.....low in Dubai is a cool 95 on Sunday. 

Image: Weather.com

Being a Living System

As we discussed in class, biology has had a difficult time making declarations about what constitutes a living system. There appears to often be exceptions to each rule, including the consideration of machines that may reproduce themselves but not have consciousness.

I know that I am a living system, according to biological theory (Varela, The Tree of Knowledge), because living beings are continually self producing. Francisco Varela (with Mataruna) called this process 'autopoiesis', or "autoproduction", where living beings can be seen as both the producer and the product. Putting aside the reproduction, I am continually self producing in the physical realm and the mental/emotional realm.

In the near future, we will need to strongly define what constitutes a living system particularly in relationship to Artificial Intelligence (AI). I believe that it will be wise to incorporate the presence of the various facets of consciousness into our definition of a living being, if not a living system. This may become important in matters of legal consequence as AI becomes more intelligent and cognizant.

Biophysics and TCM

Biophysics appears to be a very important subject in our Western relationship to the tenants of TCM. Given that TCM is an "elemental medicine", with a naturalistic view of health and disease, the biological processes of how nature and our bodies function seem very important. 

Understanding through biophysics how the Earth and our complex body processes came into existence can inform my understanding of TCM because my understanding of TCM says that harmony with and understanding of nature is a fundamental tenant for ongoing health. Of particular important in the coming years will be the understanding of the 'anthrosphere', or the human created impact within the biosphere. Understanding and labeling the destructive processes of human beings in relationship to the biosphere will be important for creating their reparations, and also understanding the diseases that become more prevalent as a result of the anthrosphere's negative impacts.