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The Calculus of Life

Towards a Theory of Life

  • Book
  • © 2015

Overview

Authors:
  1. Andrés Moya

    1. Cavanilles Institute for Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain

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  • Logic and Computation are appropriate formal languages for Biology
  • We have a theory of evolution, but a theory of life is still lacking
  • Evolution is predictable if it is progressive
  • Throwing light on the living being as a whole
  • Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

Part of the book series: SpringerBriefs in Biology (BRIEFSBIOL)

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Table of contents (12 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xiii
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  2. Biology

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-1
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    2. Theoretical Biology and Evolutionary Theory

      • AndrĂ©s Moya
      Pages 3-8

    3. Chance and Necessity

      • AndrĂ©s Moya
      Pages 9-12

    4. Tinkering and Evolution

      • AndrĂ©s Moya
      Pages 13-15

    5. Concepts for a Theoretical Biology

      • AndrĂ©s Moya
      Pages 17-23

    6. General Systems Theory and Systems Biology

      • AndrĂ©s Moya
      Pages 25-30

  3. Logic and Computing

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 31-31
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    2. Logic, Computing and Biology

      • AndrĂ©s Moya
      Pages 33-38

    3. Life

      • AndrĂ©s Moya
      Pages 39-48

    4. Algorithmic Chemistry

      • AndrĂ©s Moya
      Pages 49-56

  4. The Cell and Evolution

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 57-57
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    2. The Spaces of Evolution

      • AndrĂ©s Moya
      Pages 59-65

    3. Computing the Cell

      • AndrĂ©s Moya
      Pages 67-71

    4. Gödel and the Blind Watchmaker

      • AndrĂ©s Moya
      Pages 73-81

    5. In Conclusion: Goethe’s Dream

      • AndrĂ©s Moya
      Pages 83-89

  5. Back Matter

    Pages 91-95
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Keywords

About this book

This book explores the exciting world of theoretical biology and is divided into three sections. The first section examines the roles played by renowned scientists such as Jacob, Monod, Rosen, Turing, von Bertalanffy, Waddington and Woodger in developing the field of theoretical biology. The second section, aided with numerous examples, supports the idea that logic and computing are suitable formal languages to describe and understand biological phenomena. The third and final section is, without doubt, the most intellectually challenging and endeavors to show the possible paths we could take to compute a cell - the basic unit of life - or the conditions required for a predictive theory of biological evolution; ultimately, a theory of life in the light of modern Systems Biology. The work aims to show that modern biology is closer than ever to making Goethe's dream come true and that we have reached a point where synthetic and analytical traditions converge to shed light on the living being as a whole.

Authors and Affiliations

  • Cavanilles Institute for Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain

    Andrés Moya

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