How teaching molecules to think is revealing what a 'mind' really is
Networks of molecules in our body behave as though they have goals and desires, suggesting that 'selves' might exist at a molecular level, a phenomenon that could shed light on the origins of life and mind.
Title Networks of molecules in our body exhibit goal-directed behavior, suggesting the emergence of a 'self' that could explain the origins of life and mind. | 1:13Explained | |
Intelligent Agents Simple biomolecular networks display agency, acting with goals and altering their environment, challenging the notion that cognition requires a brain. | 1:32Explained | |
Pavlov's Dogs Gene regulatory networks can learn through association, similar to Pavlov's dogs, demonstrating that even simple systems can exhibit rudimentary cognitive abilities. | 1:52Explained | |
Medical Applications The ability of gene regulatory networks to learn and remember could lead to reduced drug side effects and new therapeutic approaches by manipulating biomolecular pathways. | 1:42Explained | |
Causal Emergence Causal emergence, measured by 'phi', quantifies when a complex system acts as a unified agent, with GRNs showing increased phi after learning, indicating a higher level of selfhood. | 1:46Explained | |
Evolution and Life's Origins Agency, a defining characteristic of life, may drive evolution by enabling new levels of collective behavior, from simple cells to complex organisms. | 1:38Explained | |
Autocatalytic Systems Simple autocatalytic chemical systems can learn from their environment, suggesting that cognitive abilities exist at even more basic molecular levels and may hold clues to the origin of life. | 1:58Explained | |
Continuum of Cognition Cognition and agency exist on a continuum, with even simple systems exhibiting rudimentary 'thinking', challenging traditional views and opening new avenues for scientific discovery. | 1:17Explained |