Howard Pattee, Robert Rosen & Dennis Noble
These sources explore the intersection of theoretical biology, physics, and semiotics, focusing on how living systems maintain complexity and agency. A central theme is Howard Pattee’s work on the symbol-matter problem, which argues that life requires a “semantic closure” where symbolic information controls physical dynamics. Denis Noble expands on these ideas through the Principle of Biological Relativity, positing that causation flows in asymmetric, circular loops between different levels of organization rather than being dictated solely by genes. Robert Rosen further distinguishes living organisms from machines by their anticipatory nature, using mathematical models to show how life transcends simple reactive physics. Collectively, the texts challenge strict reductionism, suggesting that epigenetics, downward causation, and linguistic metaphors are essential for understanding evolution. By examining the epistemic cut between universal laws and local constraints, these authors provide a framework for seeing organisms as active participants in their own development and survival.
Sources
• Howard Pattee’s theoretical biology — a radical epistemological stance to approach life, evolution and complexity, Jon Umerez (2001). DOI: 10.1016/S0303-2647(01)00114-9. • Irreducible and complementary semiotic forms, Howard H. Pattee (2001). DOI: 10.1515/semi.2001.033. • Biological Relativity Requires Circular Causality but Not Symmetry of Causation: So, Where, What and When Are the Boundaries?, Noble R, Tasaki K, Noble PJ and Noble D (2019). DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2019.00827. • Harnessing stochasticity: How do organisms make choices?, Raymond Noble and Denis Noble (2018). DOI: 10.1063/1.5039668. • Neither Dogmas nor Barriers are Absolute, Denis Noble (2022). DOI: 10.1007/s12304-022-09475-x. • On Waddington and Epigenetics, Denis Noble. • The data-hypothesis relationship, Teppo Felin, Jan Koenderink, Joachim I. Krueger, Denis Noble and George F.R. Ellis (2021). DOI: 10.1186/s13059-020-02133-w. • Was the Watchmaker Blind? Or Was She One-Eyed?, Raymond Noble and Denis Noble (2017). DOI: 10.3390/biology6040047. • A theory of biological relativity: no privileged level of causation, Denis Noble (2012). DOI: 10.1098/rsfs.2011.0067. • Can Life Explain Quantum Mechanics?, H. H. Pattee (1971). • Where Does Pattee’s “How Does a Molecule Become a Message?” Belong in the History of Biosemiotics?, Jon Umerez (2009). DOI: 10.1007/s12304-009-9064-2. • The Physical Basis and Origin of Hierarchical Control, H. H. Pattee (1973). ISBN: 0-8076-0674-x. • Postscript: Unsolved Problems and Potential Applications of Hierarchy Theory, H. H. Pattee (2012). DOI: 10.1007/978-94-007-5161-3_7. • A biosemiotic conversation: Between physics and semiotics, Howard H. Pattee and Kalevi Kull (2009). • Robert Rosen’s Anticipatory Systems Theory: The Art and Science of Thinking Ahead, Judith Rosen. • Complexity as a System Property, Robert Rosen (1977). DOI: 10.1080/03081077708934768. • On complex systems, Robert Rosen (1987). DOI: 10.1016/0377-2217(87)90064-4. • Robert Rosen’s Anticipatory Systems Theory: The Science of Life and Mind, Judith Rosen (2022). DOI: 10.3390/math10224172. • Dance to the Tune of Life: Biological Relativity, Denis Noble (2017). ISBN: 978-1-107-17624-9. • The Music of Life: Biology Beyond Genes, Denis Noble (2006). ISBN: 978-0-19-922836-2. • Laws, Language and Life: Howard Pattee’s classic papers on the physics of symbols with contemporary commentary, Howard Hunt Pattee and Joanna Rączaszek-Leonardi (2012). DOI: 10.1007/978-94-007-5161-3. ISBN: 978-94-007-5160-6. • Anticipatory Systems: Philosophical, Mathematical, and Methodological Foundations, Robert Rosen (1985). ISBN: 0-08-031158-X. • Essays on Life Itself, Robert Rosen (2000). ISBN: 0-231-10510-X. • Theoretical Biology and Complexity: Three Essays on the Natural Philosophy of Complex Systems, Robert Rosen, ed. (1985). ISBN: 0-12-597280-6. • Topology and Life Redux: Robert Rosen’s Relational Diagrams of Living Systems, A. H. Louie and Stephen W. Kercel (2007). DOI: 10.1007/s10516-007-9014-z. • The Necessity of Biosemiotics: Matter-Symbol Complementarity, H. H. Pattee (2012). DOI: 10.1007/978-94-007-5161-3_18. • The Physical Basis of Coding and Reliability in Biological Evolution, H. H. Pattee (2012). DOI: 10.1007/978-94-007-5161-3_2.