On Biology as an Emergent Science

TL;DR

This paper proposes a mathematical framework to define biological systems as emergent entities, demonstrating its applicability through cellular models and preliminary clinical trial results for cancer cachexia treatment.

Contribution

It introduces a formal mathematical definition of biological systems, linking biological organization to emergent properties and supporting Young's model with theoretical and clinical evidence.

Findings

Metabolic pathways in cells satisfy the biological system definition.

Preliminary clinical trials show promise for Young's model in treating cancer cachexia.

Theoretical foundation supports biological systems as emergent phenomena.

Abstract

Biology is considered here as an "emergent science" in the sense of Anderson and of Laughlin and Pines. It is demonstrated that a straightforward mathematical definition of "biological system" is useful in showing how biology differs in structure from the lower levels in Anderson's "More is Different" hierarchy. Using cells in a chemostat as a paradigmatic exemplar of a biological system, it is found that a coherent collection of metabolic pathways through a single cell in the chemostat also satisfies the proposed definition of a biological system. This provides a theoretical and mathematical underpinning for Young's fundamental model of biological organization and integration. Evidence for the therapeutic efficacy of Young's method of analysis is provided by preliminary results of clinical trials of a specific application of Young's model to the treatment of cancer cachexia.