What understanding does the closure of constraints bring about a biological system in practices? Without discussing particular cases, one cannot answer this question. The goal of this workshop is to bring together and synthesize individual modeling experiences in physiology and ecology to establish perspectives of research collectively regarding organization in biology, sensu closure of constraints. This workshop is intended to a specialized audience. We encourage speakers to present models or modeling methods, and share critical reflections on their work and the difficulties encountered. Identifying achievements, open questions, perspectives, and experimental, conceptual or technical difficulties is the main goal of this meeting. Additionally to relatively short Q&A sessions, a general discussion will synthesize the main points raised during the day. This synthesis will be transcribed and shared with the participants after the workshop.
Les biologistes décrivent actuellement une multitude de disruptions ayant lieu à tous les niveaux d’organisation du vivant, humains et non-humains.
Abstract
Les biologistes décrivent actuellement une multitude de disruptions ayant lieu à tous les niveaux d’organisation du vivant, humains et non-humains. Ces disruptions proviennent principalement des technologies, qu’il s’agisse de la machine thermique issue de la première révolution industrielle, et du changement climatique subséquent, de la chimie avec notamment les perturbateurs endocriniens qui en sont issus, ou du numérique avec l’immixtion des écrans dans la relation parents-jeunes enfants (dans le cas des humains). Les infidélités du milieu ne sont pas étrangères au vivant comme le soulignait Canguilhem, mais la spécificité de ces disruption est leur rythme qui excède les capacité normative du vivant, humain et non-humain, conduisant à une contrepartie biologique de ce que Stiegler appelait la disruption comme régime actuel des sociétés humaines. Nous insisterons sur les conséquences de ces disruptions concernant le développement humain, biologique et psychique, et nous indiquerons des réponses possibles face à ces disruptions.
In biology, randomness is a critical notion to understand variations; however this notion is typically not conceptualized precisely. Here we provide some elements in that direction.
Abstract
Physics has several concepts of randomness that build on the idea that the possibilities are pre-given. By contrast, an increasing number of theoretical biologists attempt to introduce new possibilities, that is to say, changes of possibility space – an idea already discussed by Bergson and that was not genuinely pursued scientifically until recently (except, in a sense, in systematics, i.e, the method to classify living beings). <br> Then, randomness operates at the level of possibilities themselves and is the basis of the historicity of biological objects. We emphasize that this concept of randomness is not only relevant when aiming to predict the future. Instead, it shapes biological organizations and ecosystems. As an illustration, we argue that a critical issue of the Anthropocene is the disruption of the biological organizations that natural history has shaped, leading to a collapse of biological possibilities.
Citation
Montévil, Maël. 2024. “How Does Randomness Shape the Living?” In Figures of Chance II Chance in Theory and Practice, edited by Anne Duprat, Alison James, and Divya Dwivedi. Routledge
Quelle est aujourd'hui la pertinence des concepts de Canguilhem pour la compréhension du vivant et l'action.
Abstract
Quatre-vingts ans après, Le Normal et le Pathologique est une référence majeure en philosophie mais qu’en est-il en biologie et en médecine ? Plus précisément, quelle est aujourd’hui la pertinence des concepts de Canguilhem dans la compréhension du vivant et de l’action concernant le vivant ?
Politics is the fight for freedom; freedom does not exist outside of the struggles for it. Freedom is neither transcendent infinite being nor is it an Idea. Since the object of politics is not an Idea, there is no universal form for politics. The péjoration of politics, “politics” as a culture of lies and manipulations for gaining power, presupposes a non-political ideality or an anti-political totality. When philosophy commences otherwise than its ethno-history through an other beginning of philosophy politics is already opening a collective anticipation of freedoms unknown. For that very reason, unknown dangers await our political future.
