Special Issue: Non-algorithmic Mathematical Models of Biological Organization

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Understanding the biological organization from non-algorithmic mathematical models is one of the most important fields in mathematical biology. However, biological thinking in this century witnessed the overwhelming use of the algorithmic and syntactic mathematics, that cannot deal with the autopoietic self-referential organization of living systems. Algorithmic simulations not only misplaced the mathematical foundations of biology and its diverse areas such as genetics, cell biology, immunology, neurobiology, ecology, evolution, earth system and cognitive science, but also fostered the computational tool as the only method to encoding biological causality.

What is evident, even from the most basic process at the molecular level, is that algorithmic and computational biology is limited to explain processes and forms of living system such as, for example, the ‘protein-folding problem’. Therefore, if difficulties are already encountered at this level, it is to be expected that cellular, ecological or cognitive processes are even more distant from having algorithmic referents.

Therefore, in order to address the multiple scales and realizations of living systems autopoietic organization, it is necessary to develop or extend the comprehension of non-algorithmic mathematical models such as the (M,R)-system that on the one hand incorporate the right expression of causality for biological organization and on the other hand leverage both the increasing modelling power of category theory, calculus of indications or algebraic biology.

We welcome articles, reviews, communications, hypothesis, essays and opinions that aim to advance the use of the (M,R)-system and other non-algorithmic mathematical models in the understanding of the causality of biological systems organization involving self-fabrication -autopoiesis- and hence cognition, autonomy and anticipation and the fundamental differences with respect of artificial systems and non-biological systems. We welcome articles related to any of these topics:

• Categorical and indicational models of the causality of biological organization;
• Modelling relation between autopoietic and (M,R)-systems;
• Formal and causal differences of biological and non-biological systems;
• Cognition, autonomy, anticipation and self-reference in the causal organization of biological systems;
• Scales of realization or instantiation of autopoietic and (M,R)-systems;
• Novel non-algorithmic mathematical methods to study biological organization.

Dr. Sergio Rubin

Guest Editor

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Keywords

• non-algorithmic mathematical models
• causal organization
• biological and non-biological systems
• (M,R)-systems
• autopoiesis
• category theory
• calculus of indications, algebraic biology, self-reference

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Source and more information: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/mathematics/special_issues/Anticipation_Mathematical_Models_Biological_Causal_Organization