On Biology as an Emergent Science

Abstract

Biology is considered here as an "emergent science" in the sense of Anderson and of Laughlin and Pines. It is demonstrated that a straightforward mathematical definition of "biological system" is useful in showing how biology differs in structure from the lower levels in Anderson's "More is Different" hierarchy. Using cells in a chemostat as a paradigmatic exemplar of a biological system, it is found that a coherent collection of metabolic pathways through a single cell in the chemostat also satisfies the proposed definition of a biological system. This provides a theoretical and mathematical underpinning for Young's fundamental model of biological organization and integration. Evidence for the therapeutic efficacy of Young's method of analysis is provided by preliminary results of clinical trials of a specific application of Young's model to the treatment of cancer cachexia.