What constitutes a valid THEORY of life?]]





[Josh, this is my third attempt to post this to the group. I would
appreciate an explanation if it has been rejected. The original was sent
on Tue, Jan 27 2009]



RKS:
How do you propose to approach the problem of defining a thing with two
variables where those variables are:
1) the set of things to be defined varies according to the properties
assigned to the thing to be defined;
2) the properties of the thing to be defined varies according to which
things are included in the set of things.

Thus if you attribute a particular property to life, say something to do
with entropy, then the set of things considered to be living changes. But
if you decide to include, say viruses then the list of essential properties
of life changes. When the property changes the set changes. When the set
changes, the properties change.inition is not a theory becaus

JE:-
In general, a definition on its own cannot constitute a theory of
anything. This is because, in general, a definition only constitutes an
empty tautology. These have the general form: A is B only because B is
A. Life as a definition needs to be included as just a part of a
proposed bona fide theory of life. For a theory to remain falsifiable
i.e. not just a belief, at least one empirically falsifiable constant
has to be defined within it to act as a critical frame of reference for
all the proposed variables. It is my contention that this basic
epistemology was firstly pioneered by Galileo. Variables proposed
without a single constant cannot be tested so they cannot be falsified.
For example, if variable A is proposed to be greater than variable B
both have to be compared to a proposed constant C and not just to each
other to be able to determine which was the greater. Please note how
this rationale directly applies to Hamilton's Rule rb>c within which no
algebraic constant has been defined. My revision of the rule included
the constant K: rb>K-c where K stands for the critical Darwinian fitness
constant TDF (Total Darwinian Fitness). It can be defined as: the total
number of strictly fertile forms reproduced per parent per population.
For an altruistic in fitness gene to be to spread within one population
Hamilton proposed rb > c. However, without an inclusion of Darwinian
Total Fitness (K) this cannot be determined simply because rb and c are
variables.

The intriguing problem of comparing just variables was firstly
illustrated by the Ancient Greeks using Zeno's Paradox. The faster hare
cannot mathematically catch up to and subsequently overtake the much
slower tortoise after it had been given given a head start because both
were just variables. Unless the distance of both can be measured
relative to a proposed constant and not just each other e.g. the defined
end or start of the race, _the mathematics of the hare catching up to
and overtaking the tortoise cannot be completed_.

While sets of just variables remains logical they are not at all
rational until they are linked to to at least one proposed constant
which can act as a critical frame of reference for all the proposed
variables. Logic is NOT reason and mathematics is NOT a science.
Constants can only be defined OUTSIDE of mathematics (which is my
interpretation of what Godel discovered).


Thus unless the approach to defining life changes then a definition is
impossible, even in principle, as new examples or new properties can be
discovered at any time and under the current approach, this would require a
revision of the definition which would change both the properties of life
and the list of things which are considered to be living.

JE:-
IOW, without a frame of reference which can only be created by at least
one proposed constant, the variables remain _irrational_.


Regards,

John Edser
Independent Researcher

edser@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx



.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: What is Truth?
    ... to people who try to understand what life and their ... I have taught mathematics at different ... Teaching and teachers: "If you can do it, ... Romanian government should sue the companies that made movies about ...
    (sci.math)
  • Re: What is Truth?
    ... to people who try to understand what life and their ... I have taught mathematics at different ... Teaching and teachers: "If you can do it, ... Romanian government should sue the companies that made movies about ...
    (sci.physics)
  • Re: Is there a general solution for x = A + Not A ???
    ... > According to my mathematics, there is always a solution for some ... A is not equal to an apple, but A is equal to a basket holding an apple, ... you're asking when you consider Life and Not Life, ... To repeat - A is not a single element but a set, ...
    (sci.math)
  • Saint Andrew on 3-25-97
    ... Saint Andrew says, ... "When a parent instructs a child on an ... important subject of life, the parent uses ... a particular type of mathematics, ...
    (sci.math)
  • Re: Chord connection
    ... Mathematics for me is ... Applied Math which includes Real Analysis and Boundary Value and Complex ... of it because I felt I was missing another side of life. ... is also about creation... ...
    (rec.music.theory)
Loading