Archives of 2020

  1. Il faut qu’il y ait en biologie théorique un symbole tel qu’il empêche de calculer

    Les notions de calcul et d’information sont utilisées de manière fort libérale en biologie, avec des prises de positions fortes telle que considérer que l’ADN contient un programme et que la pensée est un calcul. La physique donne un rôle plus modeste à ces concepts, car elle place les mathématiques plutôt que le calcul au centre de sa théorisation. Les physiciens entrés en biologie tendent néanmoins à imposer leur epistémologie sans prendre en compte la singularité de ce champs. <br> Nous montrerons qu’une approche différente de la biologie est possible, deman- dant des innovations épistémologiques, théoriques et formelles. Ici, c’est rôle des mathématiques qui devient plus modeste à cause de l’historicité du vivant. Ces innovations permettent de suggérer des directions pour repenser l’articulation entre informatique et mathématiques.

  2. ENMI 2020 - prendre soin de l’informatique et des générations.

    Avant son décès le 5 août 2020, Bernard Stiegler avait projeté l’organisation des Entretiens du Nouveau Monde Industriel 2020 autour des questions de l’informatique et des générations. Lors de ce colloque, nous prolongerons le travail amorcé autour de ces questions, en nous appuyant sur les textes de Bernard Stiegler et sur les travaux des intervenants.

  3. screenshot of Philosophy World Democracy

    PWD avatar PWD

    Philosophy World Democracy

    Il ne s’agira pas d’une démocratie mondiale, car il faut que les peuples se composent et se disposent.Mais nous affirmerons une essence démocratique du monde : peuplé par tous les vivants et par tous les parlants, tout entier configuré par leurs existences et par leurs paroles.

  4. screenshot of Groupe cardano

    Cardano

    Groupe cardano

    Nous sommes un groupe de mathématiciens qui dénonçons une mathématisation du monde orientée vers le contrôle, le quantitatif et le réductionnisme plutôt que vers l’invention et la construction de compréhensions.

  6. Colloque: Vie – numérique - santé

    En biologie comme en médecine, le numérique joue depuis longtemps et de façon croissante le rôle d’outil technique, de la preuve statistique aux bases de données massives et à la publication. Mais elle joue aussi le rôle de modèle mathématique, voire de cadre conceptuel pour une approche théorique et pour une justification de l’action

  8. Code for: Disruption of biological processes in the Anthropocene: the case of phenological mismatch

    Code for: Disruption of biological processes in the Anthropocene: the case of phenological mismatch

    CRAN R code to analyze disruption of plant-pollinator networks for the article: Disruption of biological processes in the Anthropocene: the case of phenological mismatch.

    Abstract

    CRAN R code to analyze disruption of plant-pollinator networks for the article: Disruption of biological processes in the Anthropocene: the case of phenological mismatch

    Citation
    Citation Publisher Details

  10. Les ateliers de prévention des effets des écrans à la PMI pierre sémard de saint-denis

    • MC Bossière
      MC Bossière
      ,
      M Montévil
      M Montévil
      ,
      A Kunvari
      A Kunvari
      ,
      PMI Pierre Sémard
      PMI Pierre Sémard
      &
      H Yacouben
      H Yacouben
      .
    • fr
    • Recording available
    • Midi-santé
    • Maison de la Santé, Saint-Denis

    Depuis deux ans, le philosophe Bernard Stiegler, récemment disparu, a initié une recherche-action sur la prévention aux effets des écrans chez les enfants, pilotée par l’IRI (Institut de Recherche et d’Innovation du Centre Pompidou). Une série d’ateliers est menée au sein de la PMI Pierre Sémard de Saint-Denis, mobilisant professionnelles de la PMI, chercheurs de l’IRI, et parents. Constitué en groupe de recherche contributive, ces acteurs accueillent de nouveaux parents et favorisent les échanges de savoir entre les participants, pour prévenir des effets des écrans sur le développement des jeunes enfants et inventer ensemble de nouvelles manière d’éduquer nos enfants à l’ère numérique.

  16. From physics to biology by extending criticality and symmetry breakings: An update

    From physics to biology by extending criticality and symmetry breakings: An update

    Acta Europeana Systemica

    We show that symmetries play a radically different role in biology by comparison with physics. This article is an updated version of the 2011 paper.

    Abstract

    Symmetries play a major role in physics, in particular since the work by E. Noether and H. Weyl in the first half of last century. Herein, we briefly review their role by recalling how symmetry changes allow to conceptually move from classical to relativistic and quantum physics. We then introduce our ongoing theoretical analysis in biology and show that symmetries play a radically different role in this discipline, when compared to those in current physics. By this comparison, we stress that symmetries must be understood in relation to conservation and stability properties, as represented in the theories. We posit that the dynamics of biological organisms, in their various levels of organization, are not “just” processes, but permanent (extended, in our terminology) critical transitions and, thus, symmetry changes. Within the limits of a relative structural stability (or interval of viability), qualitative variability is at the core of these transitions.

    Keywords: Coherent structures, Critical transitions, downward causation, Hidden variables, Levels of organization, Symmetries, Systems biology

    Citation
    Longo, Giuseppe, and Maël Montévil. 2020. “From Physics to Biology by Extending Criticality and Symmetry Breakings: An Update.” Acta Europeana Systemica 9 (1): 77–92. https://doi.org/10.14428/aes.v9i1.56043
    Manuscript Citation Publisher Full text
  18. Historicity at the heart of biology

    Historicity at the heart of biology

    Theory in Biosciences

    Most mathematical modeling in biology rely on the epistemology of physics. By contrast, we argue that historicity comes first in biology.

    Abstract

    Most mathematical modeling in biology relies either implicitly or explicitly on the epistemology of physics. The underlying conception is that the historicity of biological objects would not matter to understand a situation here and now, or, at least, historicity would not impact the method of modeling. We analyze that it is not the case with concrete examples. Historicity forces a conceptual reconfiguration where equations no longer play a central role. We argue that all observations depend on objects defined by their historical origin instead of their relations as in physics. Therefore, we propose that biological variations and historicity come first, and regularities are constraints with limited validity in biology. Their proper theoretical and empirical use requires specific rationales.

    Keywords: Historicity, Organization, Epistemology, Mathematical modeling, Constraints

    Citation
    Montévil, Maël. 2020. “Historicity at the Heart of Biology.” Theory in Biosciences 141 (2): 165–73. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12064-020-00320-8
    Manuscript Citation Publisher Full text

  19. Panel: Towards anti-entropic exorganisms and exorganisations in the anthropocene. Bioeconomics, institutions, localities

    • A Alombert
      A Alombert
      ,
      M Montévil
      M Montévil
      &
      M Krzykawski
      M Krzykawski
      .
    • en
    • Anthropocenes: Reworking of the wound
    • Musée de Silésie, Katowice, Poland

    Why should we invest in the concept of entropy to face the challenges of the Anthropocene? Of course, entropy production is a more accurate description of physical processes than energy consumption – and the difference between the two concepts has applications. However, entropy has other ramifications. Living beings oppose entropy increase in two different ways. First, as emphasized by Schrödinger, living beings have to sustain a low entropy situation, and this implies that they are local, open systems. Second, while entropy increase leads to more generic configurations, biological individuation brings about the more specific organization, at the scale of evolution as well as shorter time scales. These specific organizations are precisely the way living being delay the increase of entropy. These counter-trends are analyzed as anti-entropy and anti-entropy production, respectively. We will show that they are damaged in the Anthropocene, meaning that biological organizations are disrupted, and their ability to reorganize is also weakened.

  20. The identity of organisms in scientific practice: Integrating historical and relational conceptions

    The identity of organisms in scientific practice: Integrating historical and relational conceptions

    Frontiers in Physiology

    We address the identity of biological organisms in scientific practices by combining relational and historical conceptions, and introduce a new symbol for that.

    Abstract

    We address the identity of biological organisms at play in experimental and modeling practices. We first examine the central tenets of two general conceptions, and we assess their respective strengths and weaknesses. The historical conception, on the one hand, characterizes organisms’ identity by looking at their past, and specifically at their genealogical connection with a common ancestor. The relational conception, on the other hand, interprets organisms’ identity by referring to a set of distinctive relations between their parts, and between the organism and its environment. While the historical and relational conceptions are understood as opposed and conflicting, we submit that they are also fundamentally complementary. Accordingly, we put forward a hybrid conception, in which historical and relational (and more specifically, organizational) aspects of organisms’ identity sustain and justify each other. Moreover, we argue that organisms’ identity is not only hybrid but also bounded, insofar as the compliance with specific identity criteria tends to vanish as time passes, especially across generations. We spell out the core conceptual framework of this conception, and we outline an original formal representation. We contend that the hybrid and bounded conception of organisms’ identity suits the epistemological needs of biological practices, particularly with regards to the generalization and reproducibility of experimental results, and the integration of mathematical models with experiments.

    Citation
    Manuscript Citation Publisher Full text

Filter by type to see more archives from year 2020.