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Biological objects and measurement

Biological objects and measurement

Cover slide from the talk “Biological objects and measurement”

The core of the objectivization in physics is the coupling of generic objects, as defined by their symmetries, and their corresponding specific trajectories. As for biological phenomena, we posit that they do not possess stable theoretical symmetries. Thus, biological objects are specific in the sense that they are the result of historical and contingent changes of symmetries. This situation will allow us to discuss a specific notion of measurement for biological objects: measurements in biology co-establishes and often stabilize the theoretical symmetries of biological objects.

Montévil, M. 2014. “Biological Objects and Measurement.” In Center for Philosophy of Science. https://www.pitt.edu/~pittcntr/Events/All/Lunchtime_talks/lunchtime_2013-14/abstracts/feb_14_details.html