Autopoietic Theory

1. Autopoietic Theory Self-organization. or Exploring the science of wholeness that nurtures the human spirit.

2. Introduction • Simplistic version of Maturana and Varela’s (M&V) Autopoietic Theory • Description of M&V’s Qualitative Chemistry Example • McMullin’s Recent Implementation’s of M&V’s Qualitative Chemistry Example • Fields that use Autopoietic Theory

3. Introduction • Autopoietic Theory • Cognition can be described as a biological system containing an observer and observed unities within a medium interacting in the closed system defined by the nervous system. • This system is self-organizing and self-rebuilding/self-maintaining. • Autopoietic Phenomenon • The self-organization/self-rebuilding of any dynamic system with a simple interaction rule set and unities limited to local knowledge.

4. Autopoietic Theory • The Biology of Cognition. • Chilean biologists Humberto R. Maturana and Francisco J. Varela, 1970’s. • Randall Whitaker, http://www.enolagaia.com/AT.html. • Randy McMullin, http://www.eeng.dcu.ie/~alife/bmcm-ecal97/bmcm-ecal97.html.

5. Cyclic Paths in Life Theory • Essential circularity in a living system. • Unbroken network of connected components with no start or stop. • Essential circularity in unity’s internal operation • Move out of one environment into another, given certain conditions we survive. • Essential circularity in a unity’s interaction with it’s media (environment).

6. The Biology of Cognition • Attempt to develop a theory explaining cognition that avoided the existing cyclic paths. • Must use cognitive abilities to describe cognitive abilities. • First theory in biology that describes living systems by something other than arbitrary characteristics (e.g. metabolism, growth, reproduction). • All previous theories ignore the cyclic nature of life and describe it in a linear fashion.

7. Autopoietic Theory Basics • Auto – Self. • Poiesis – Greek for production. • Phenomenological view. • The Schrodinger’s Cat of the social sciences • Physics: Things exist in all possible states until they are observed at which point they exist in one. • Philosophy: Nothing exists until it is observed.

8. Autopoietic Theory Components (1) • Observer: The biological system that can pick out specific unities to observe and therefore learn about the system. • The observer has its own biases so two observers may not observe the same ‘result’ from the same system. • Unity: the most elementary object of perceptual / cognitive reference. Simple or composite. • The observer may choose the behavioral view and see the composite unity as a simple unity or the recursive view and see the composite unity as its individual parts. • True result from behavioral view: The whole being greater than the sum of its parts.

9. Autopoietic Theory Components (2) • Domain: • All possible states of relation between the unities in the system (domain of interaction). • All relations among observed systems and the unities. • Structures: The actual simple unity components and relations within a composite unity. • Organization: The set of relations defining a composite unity. Specifies a category called an identity.

10. Structure vs Organization Giuseppe Arcimboldo www.enolagaia.com/Tutorial1.html

11. Observer Bias

12. Cyclic Paths Embraced • "Everything said is said by an observer to another observer that could be him- or herself" • “The qualification of all 'knowledge' with respect to a given observer is both the epistemological foundation and the explanatory focus of autopoietic theory” • epistemological: branch of philosophy that studies the nature of knowledge. • "All knowing is doing, and all doing is knowing." • “The observer's 'cognition' is a process involving the entirety of her interactivity, not just abstract mentation. As such, cognition cannot be segregated from praxis.” • mentation: thinking, mental activity. • praxis: practical application of a branch of learning, or an established practice.

13. M&V - Qualitative Chemistry • Three particles (Substrate-Catalyst-Link): • S: substrate particles. • K: catalyst particles. • L: link particles. • Rules of interaction: • S + S = L, in the presence of K. • L + L = bonded L, in the presence of K, maximum two bonds per L particle (forms a chain). • L = S + S, spontaneous decay (rare occurrence).

14. McMullin: SCL Cellular System • Linked “Link” particles are stationary. • Substrate can pass through the “Links”. • Link particles and the catalyst cannot. http://www.eeng.dcu.ie/~alife/bmcm-ecal97/ bmcm-ecal97.html

15. McMullin – Implementation • SCL program was implemented with SWARM software from Santa Fe Institute. • Implementation of M&V’s originally published rule set resulted in consistent failures. • Found same failures for two other independent unpublished groups: Zeleny and Lizana. • Original M&V papers were not complete in their description of the algorithm/rule set implemented.

16. SCL – Original Rule Set http://www.eeng.dcu.ie/~alife/bmcm-ecal97/ bmcm-ecal97.html

17. McMullin – Implementation with New Rule • M&V original FORTRAN code listing was found, re-keyed and tested. • Different results than in current implementations - resulted in analysis of code. • Found a rule in the code that was not present in the M&V publications. • Can only bind a link particle to another link particle if • it is not part of an existing chain, or • the free particle is not adjacent to more than one member of the chain. No spiraling.

18. SCL – New Rule - Fail http://www.eeng.dcu.ie/~alife/bmcm-ecal97/ bmcm-ecal97.html

19. SCL – New Rule - Succeed http://www.eeng.dcu.ie/~alife/bmcm-ecal97/ bmcm-ecal97.html

20. Autopoiesis in the Field • Immunology, psychology, management science, human-computer interaction, family therapy, sociology, economics, postmodern philosophy, public administration, software engineering, artificial intelligence, sociology, and psychotherapy. • Networks: software agents that rebuild after a catastrophic event without central control. • Robot/Nanobots: rebuild themselves within a structure as they are needed. Medicine, auto construction units.

21. Autopoiesis for the Commoner • “Autopoiesis is a concept (from biology) that has extraordinary implications . It describes the spontaneous, self-organising, holistic nature of living systems rather than the simplistic mechanisms we often use to manipulate and control. It's a cornerstone of the science of wholeness which provides insights into living together more harmoniously and a link between the scientific and the spiritual.” • http://www.pnc.com.au/~lfell/