1) Anticipatory Systems Theory was developed by Dr. Robert Rosen to characterize and explain life and mind using a scientific framework based on modeling.
2) All living organisms are anticipatory systems that use internal models to gather information, make predictions, and guide their behavior in order to survive.
3) Science is itself a human, model-based pursuit that can benefit from recognizing how modeling works in nature by anchoring models firmly in reality through constant checking against empirical evidence.
2. Dr. Robert Rosen (1934-1998) was the scientist
who developed Anticipatory Systems Theory.
(And for those who don't know;
he was also my father.)
3. What's it for?
Anticipatory Systems Theory
elucidates
* Why living organisms are alive; what causes life
* How the signature of life-- the behaviors and
capacities peculiar to living organisms-- can be
fully characterized in a rigorously scientific
manner
* What aspects or qualities of the system are
generating that signature
4. Life is information-based.
All living organisms have a system organization
type that incorporates the modeling relation, itself,
into the system.
All living organisms use a model-based system
guidance and control strategy.
All living organisms have sensory capacity for
information-gathering purposes and have internal
capacities for interpreting incoming sensory
information (i.e. predicting what it means).
5. The Modeling Relation
Represents a Law Of Nature
When we build a model that is in this relation to the
system it represents, then-- and ONLY then-- we
can safely rely on the predictions it generates about
the system of interest.
6. What do models deal with?
Entailment!
There are two types of Entailment:
Causal Entailment and Inferential Entailment
Encoding of causal entailment into inferential
entailment, when done correctly, allows accurate
prediction of causal processes.
This is how life and mind both work. It is, in fact,
responsible for the Anticipatory nature of life, and
is the source of the signature we recognize as life
or mind.
7. Evidence That Both Life And Mind Are
Model-Based?
The Rampant Error Behaviors Peculiar To
Modeling, Such As: False Positives, False
Negatives, Identification Mistakes,
Assumptions, etc.
The truth is that you can fool a model!
10. Intelligent organisms as Dual Anticipatory
Systems: Both soma and mind generate predictions
independently of one another, but those
predictive/interpretive capacities also constantly
interact with one another... New Mental Model:
Orange and black (Monarch) butterflies are BAD!
13. More Evidence of Model-Guided
Behavior: Blind Auto-Pilots
Pareidolia: The human
tendency to see faces
everywhere.
14. That Kind Of Model-Based Identification
Error Is Not Just A Human Experience...
For example, several
species of orchid have
evolved flowers which
mimic the shape and
scent of virginal female
bees of various species--
to the degree that males
of those species regularly
try to mate with the
flowers, thereby
pollinating them.
15. Mental “Auto-Pilot” Models-- Manifested As
Behaviors, Habits, And Compulsions.
Once we encode and
reinforce a behavior
pattern, it can be
VERY difficult to
change it.
17. Given That The Modeling Relation Is
About Entailment,
And Models Are Prone To Error...
What Does That Mean For Science?
Science is a Human
Pursuit. It's about
building a model of how
the universe works.
Because the human
mind is, itself, model-
based... it is natural that
Science would be also.
18. From my point of view, one of the biggest
problems in Science is due to the fact that
Rene Descartes was not a Biologist.
This has led to a very
poor conceptualization
of how life works.
19. Reductionist approaches work
fairly well with Machines
and with non-living systems...
However, when we treat
living organisms as if
they really are “just
like machines”, we get
into serious trouble--
and don't understand
why.
20. Because of the Machine Metaphor,
Science has become synonymous with a
machine-perspective. We define
“Objectivity” accordingly.
21. Another legacy of the Machine Metaphor
is the lack of any notion of “health” in
Science-- even Medical Science.
The concept of “Function”
is not supported by the
foundations of Science
because it seems, from
within the Model we
have built of the
universe, to suggest the
fingerprint of God.
22. The models upon which all other models
are based in every living organism are:
An internal model for
“Self”
An internal model for
“Health” (of “Self”)
An internal capacity for
interpreting all incoming
sensory information
according to
“Optimality” (what is
better or worse for
Health of Self)...
23. What should a New Definition for
Scientific “Objectivity” Be, if it is not
useful to base it on a machine mindset?
A commitment to
ALWAYS decode
to Reality instead
of Belief: A firm
commitment to
anchor oneself to
Nature and refuse
to be seduced by
money or prestige
into doing anything
less.
24. The Similarities and Differences
Between Beliefs and Science...
Both involve mental modeling activities.
Both seek to answer some of the same questions.
Both discuss entailment.
HOWEVER...
Science anchors itself to-- and checks itself
against-- Nature/Reality.
Belief relies on mental models that have not been,
and often cannot be, decoded to Reality.
26. The Difference Between Science Fiction
and Science...
Science models must be anchored to reality and
constantly checked against reality.
Science Fiction models need only be internally
consistent.
And yet, the thought- experiments of Science Fiction
can be incredibly useful in Science. Consider Star
Trek and its many inspirations...
29. The Common Aspect of Science, Belief,
Fiction, Life, and Mind...
Is Modeling
Where some
encoded,
constructed, or
otherwise
chosen system
represents a
different,
separate system
of interest.
30. The Aspect of Modeling That
Differentiates Science From All Other
Model-Based Activity is Arrow #4
DECODING:
Checking the
predictions
generated by the
model against
the behavior of
the system it
represents. Are
they accurate?
31. A General Theory Of Modeling
Would Be A Natural Consequence of
Anticipatory Systems Theory
Aspects To Be Included In The Development
Of Such A Theory Would Be:
*Elucidate the Modeling Relation Fully
*Investigate All The Ways That Modeling Can Fail
*Create Diagnostic Maps Whereby Error Behaviors
Predict Causes and Remedies
* OTHER
