Caro Plamen e Cari Tutti, sottolineo lo stile pedagogico e l'efficacia comunicativa di questo eccellente contributo. Desidero soffermarmi sulla nota 5. della fenomenologia. La discontinuità o il salto brusco e traumatico tra una situazione e l'altra è frutto di una trasmutazione che caratterizza i "momenti" decisivi e strategici di qualunque settore della esperienza esistenziale e cognitiva. Tutto e dappertutto avviene secondo un processo economico basato sull'asimmetria creativa che rompe ogni simmetria e determina i cambiamenti evolutivi da cui dipende la vita. La vita, miracolo dei miracoli, non è un e-vento ordinario, ma un insi-eme di fatti imprevedibili, sconvolgenti, asimmetrici. Il cosmo è (o potrebbe essere) iniziato in modo arbitrario, cioè indipendente da qualunque conoscenza umana, e si svolge (o potrebbe svolgersi) in modo arbitrario, nel senso che le rotture o le discontinuità provocate dalle singolarità o asimmetrie sono ( o potrebbero essere) il risultato di una sua intrinseca creatività che sfugge al dominio dell'uomo al quale è possibile (?) conoscere sola la "realtà" compresa tra una singolarità e l'altra. Questo discorso potrebbe continuare a lungo, cosa che non faccio rinviando, almeno, alle pagine 211-231 di Rizzo F., "Etica dei valori economici o economia dei valori etici" (FrancoAngeli, Milano, 2004). Il meccanismo che trasforma un mondo ideale, dove tutto si muove alla velocità della luce, nel nostro mondo reale è proprio quello di Higgs basato sulla "rottura spontanea della simmetria" di gauge. Quindi partendo dal mondo a massa nulla, si può rompere spontaneamente la simmetria di gauge, originando la massa delle particelle, che interagiscono con la particella di Higgs. Tutto ciò è possibile se la particella di Higgs interagisce con se stessa o, come dicono i fisici, se il campo di Higgs è auto-interagente. Questo effetto è un ingrediente cruciale della particella di Higgs che genera le masse di tutte le particelle e auto-genera anche la sua massa (cfr. Rizzo F., "Incontro d'amore tra il cuore della fede e l'intelligenza della scienza. Un salto nel cielo", Aracne editrice, Roma, 2014, pp. 598-604). Quando il mondo fu creato o si formò la materia e l'anti-materia erano presenti in proporzioni uguali o simmetriche, poi si verificò un ancora sconosciuto fenomeno che ruppe questa simmetria e l'antimateria scomparve o si ridusse o fu neutralizzata oppure non so cosa sia accaduto e non lo sa nessuno. Ma una cosa è certa che lo scioglimento o la frattura di quella simmetria consente la nostra vita, che altrimenti non ci sarebbe. Noi viviamo in un mondo frattale imprevedibile, irregolare, discontinuo, asimmetrico, caratterizzato dalle leggi esponenziali o di potenza, come afferma anche la. Nuova economia (cfr. Rizzo F., "Nuova economia", Aracne editrice, Roma, 2013). In conclusione, sapendo che sono stato molto schematico e frammentario, il pensare economico, più che il pensiero economico, fa diventare la fenomenologia più brillante, pregnante e cognitiva. La libertà economica, infatti, è condizione della libertà di pensiero ed illumina la vita. Grazie e auguri, questo è un bel dibattito che non avrà mai nè vinti nè vincitori. Francesco
2016-05-14 9:49 GMT+02:00 Dr. Plamen L. Simeonov < plamen.l.simeo...@gmail.com>: > Dear Colleagues, > > > > My contribution will finalize the discussion on phenomenology in the > domains of biology, mathematics, cyber/biosemiotics and physics by the > previous speakers (Maxine, Lou, Sœren and Alex) with a “challenging topic” > in *3φ integrative medicine*. *You may wish to skip the small font text > notes following each underscored phrase like the one below.* > > > > *Note 1:* Although this term is often used as synonym for holistic > healing (s. ref. list A), its meaning in this context with the prefix 3φ > goes much “deeper” into the disciplines’ integration leaving no room for > speculations by mainstream scientists. The concept is a linguistic choice > of mine for the intended merge of the complexity sciences *ph*ysics and > *ph*ysiology with *ph*enomenology for application in modern medicine > along the line of integral biomathics (s. ref. list B). > > > > It is rooted in the last presentation of Alex Hankey, since it naturally > provides the link from physics to physiology and medicine, and thus to an > anthropocentric domain implying a leading part of phenomenological studies. > To begin, I compiled a précis of Alex’ thesis about self-organized > criticality (s. ref. list C) from his paper “A New Approach to Biology and > Medicine” -- the download link to it was distributed in a previous email of > him -- and extended it with my reflections including some questions I hope > you will resonate on. > > > I am curious of your opinion about how to apply the scientific method, and > in particular mathematics and information science, to study illness and > recovery as complex phenomena. > > > > *Alex Hankey: self-organized criticality and regulation in living systems* > > > > *There is a continuous growth and change at the end of a phase transition > in an organism, i.e. at its critical point, which is the end point of phase > equilibrium.* > > > > *Both endo and exo, genetics and epigenetics are important for life.* > > > > *Self-organized criticality* is a characteristic state of a system at its > critical point generated by self-organization during a long transient > period at the complexity edge between order/stability/predictability and > disorder/chaos/unpredictability. > > > > *Regulation of growth, form and function as a balance between health and > illness.* The role of regulation and homeostasis in maintaining the > structure and function of living systems is critical. Every deviation from > a regulated state of being leads to imbalances, failures and subsystem > dysfunction that is usually transitory, but could also become > life-threatening, if the organism cannot find a way to restore quickly to a > balanced, healthy state. Living beings are robust and fault-tolerant with > respect to hazards; they possess multiple alternative pathways for > supplying and maintaining their existential functions. However, some state > transitions in response to severe harms can become practically > irreversible, because of the deep evolutionary interlocking between the > participating entities and processes. Sometimes the normal functioning of > the organism cannot be easily restored by its natural repair processes, > especially when adversities reoccur frequently, and the organism fails ill. > > > > *Synchronicity of action and information between the building blocks of a > living system.* There is a need for every physiological function to be > correctly coordinated with all other “peer” functions. Information flows > within a living system interconnect all physiological functions and organs > at multiple levels into a single mesh of regulatory interconnections. > Multiple feedback-control loops enable the cross-functional interlocking of > both healthy and ill state changes of the organism. > Adjacent/peripheral/secondary homeostasis processes act as fine-tuning > catalyzers of substrate ratios and process rates exchanged within the > living system. Imbalances of these quantities lead to excess/blockage or > scarcity/draining of essential nourishment and information exchange > pathways. > > > > *Regulation at criticality* not only fine-tunes a process, it *optimizes* > it for survival: with respect to a given generation’s available > possibilities in the light of the past generations’ possibilities. To > survive an organism or a species needs to develop optimal > *response-ability* to environmental distress. > > > *New ecological definition of life according to Hankey: self-regulating, > self-reproducing systems that maximize efficiency of function to maximize > competitiveness in their chosen environment. * > > > > *Summary: Elements of self-organized criticality* > > > > 1. Criticality > 2. Edge of the chaos > 3. Self-organized criticality > 4. 1/f fractal patterns of response > > > > *… and beyond* > > > > I wish to add a 5th aspect to this definition from the perspective of > integral biomathics: > > > > 1. *Phenomenology* > > > > The latter is a largely studied matter in contemporary medicine (s. ref. > list D), at least at the macro, interpersonal *level*. > > > > *Note 2*: A level refers to the compositional hierarchy defining levels > by scale. > > > > *The key question in such a “deep holistic” physically-phenomenological > physiology (*3φ*)** is how to define or comprehend (self-organized) > criticality operationally within the unifying framework of biomathematics > and biocomputation*. Indeed, a single temporary imbalance within a living > system regarded as disease involves multiple agents, perspectives and > interpretations at all levels altogether, moreover *simultaneously*. > > > > *Note 3*: Simultaneously at different levels involves very different > sized 'moments' at the different scales. > > > > So, how should we approach and take into account the other levels/scales > in order to derive a reliable diagnosis and *therapy*? > > > > *Note 4*: The notion of “subject” becomes plural (“subjects”) as > superposition of quantum states to survive the integration of the multiple > first-person subjective descriptions and the standard third-person > objective one. > > > > Until now criticality has been *non-phenomenological*. > > > *Note 5:* In their 2012 paper “No entailing laws, but enablement in the > evolution of the biosphere” Longo, Montévil and Kauffman claim that > biological evolution “marks the end of a physics world view of law entailed > dynamics” (http://arxiv.org/abs/1201.2069). They argue that the > evolutionary phase space or space of possibilities constituted of > interactions between organisms, biological niches and ecosystems is “ever > changing, intrinsically indeterminate and even (mathematically) > unprestatable”.Hence, the authors' claim that it is impossible to know > “ahead of time the 'niches' which constitute the boundary conditions on > selection” in order to formulate laws of motion for evolution. They call > this effect “radical emergence”, from life to life. Yet this applies to > abiotic dissipative structures like tornadoes as well. Living beings are > not radically different in this respect. In their study of biological > evolution, Longo and colleagues carried close comparisons with physics. > They investigated the mathematical constructions of phase spaces and the > role of symmetries as invariant preserving transformations, and introduced > the notion of “enablement” to restrict causal analyses to Batesonian > differential cases (1972: “the difference that makes a difference”). The > authors have shown that mutations or other “causal differences” at the core > of evolution enable the establishment of non-conservation principles, in > contrast to physical dynamics, which is largely based on conservation > principles as symmetries. Their new notion of “extended criticality” also > helps to understand the distinctiveness of the living state of matter when > compared to the non-animal one. However, their approach to both physics and > biology is also *non-phenomenological*. The possibility for endo states > that can trigger the “(genetic/epigenetic) switches of mutation” has not > been examined in their model. This is intended to be different in 3φ* > integrative medicine*. > > If we split a human body into macro (patient), mezzo (systems) and micro > levels (cells) three distinct questions regarding phenomenology arise: i) > *how* these levels pervade into each other with larger scale providing > context (boundary conditions) and lowest scale providing raw materials for > middle scale to function, monitor and control vital processes, ii) > *who/which* are the agents taking care for this to happen spontaneously, > and iii) *what kind and role* plays information in the context of i) and > ii). After all what we are concerned about is modeling the agency of the > systems in the mezzo level. > > > > Where should we go from here? > > > In particular, I am interested to know *what kind of > scientific-phenomenological methodology can be developed and applied for > investigating *the following three major groups of ailments: > > > > 1. *oncological diseases* with a particular focus on spatial and > temporal heterogeneity both in terms of flawed histological structures and > biochemical reactions; > > > 1. *neuro-degenerative disorders* such as vascular dementia, Parkinson > and Alzheimer diseases: > > > 1. *altered organ and physiological system failures* such as the > Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome (MODS), cardiovascular and autoimmune > diseases. > > > > In the first group, the *extreme diversity of cancer tissue structures > and circulating tumor cells (CTC) concentrations over both spatial and > temporal scales* makes the reliable classification, diagnosis, > model/hypothesis generation, forecast and treatment of individual patients > very difficult. This is a real challenge for modern pathology. Another > problem is that pathologists are actually dealing with random tissue and > blood samples over irregular periods, which hinder the exact 3D > histological reconstruction of the tumor formations and tracing their > development over time and space. Using additional means such as diagnostic > sonography, CT, MRT and PET images do not improve sufficiently the > hypotheses about the individual cancer morphology and development. All this > makes tumor classification and diagnosis, even when analyzing > high-resolution digital images from biopsy slices by means of virtual > microscopy, very difficult and often a guesswork also for experts. The > recent advances in high-performance medical scanning and automation > systems, computerized visualization and graphical modeling tools, as well > the collection of huge amounts of anonymous patient data in specialized > medical databases make the impression that the solution of these problems > is only a question of more automation, performance, investment and time. > However, many pathologists begin to realize a third problem, namely that > *tumors > appear to be unique in their histological structure and development*, > related to the personal history and the overall state of health of the > individual patients. This argument reveals the need for developing a more > personalized and differentiated medicine that goes over scales without > becoming purely symptomatic, causality-driven and reductionistic. > > > > Recent research in the other two fields leads to the same conclusion. > Therefore, I think that we may be able to develop and test hypotheses about > emergence and development of deficiency and illness that will lead to > individual therapies in *3φ* integrative medicine. Your ideas regarding > this assumption are very welcome. > > > > Some interesting questions bridging the previous discussion sessions to > this one are: > > > > - Why does a human embryo repeat the evolutionary history of its > species when going through its development stages? Is it because it is more > secure to project and set up the execution of a future life plan by tracing > and bodily memorizing a series of evolutionary encoded (successful) “locks” > through equilibrium states at the edge of criticality? > > > > - Which is the *vital *role of recursion and repetition of life > processes including their material and information exchange flows in the > criticality driven self-regulation for recovery from imbalances and the > reversibility and healing of diseases? How can we effectively model such > processes? > > - Do we make difference between a physicist’s time and a > biologist’s time in complex living systems? > > > > * I look forward to your feedback and notes on the subject.* > > > > *References:* > > *A. **Integrative Medicine* > > Integrative Medicine: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integrative_medicine > <http://www.wikiwand.com/en/Integrative_medicine> > > What Is Integrative Medicine?: > > > http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/features/alternative-medicine-integrative-medicine > > > > Integrative Medicine Research: > > http://www.journals.elsevier.com/integrative-medicine-research/ > > > > Advances in Integrative Medicine > > http://www.journals.elsevier.com/advances-in-integrative-medicine > > > > *B. **Integral Biomathics* > > Integral Biomathics: > > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integral_Biomathics > <http://www.wikiwand.com/en/Integral_Biomathics> > > Integral Biomathics: A Post-Newtonian View into the Logos of Bios > > https://arxiv.org/ftp/cs/papers/0703/0703002.pdf > > On Some Recent Insights in Integral Biomathics: > > https://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/1306/1306.2843.pdf. > > Integral Biomathics Reloaded: 2015 (free access until July 19th 2016): > > http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0079610715001509 > > > > *C. **Self-organized criticality**:* > > > > Self-organized criticality: > > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-organized_criticality > <http://www.wikiwand.com/en/Self-organized_criticality> > > > > Self-organized criticality (SOC): > > http://www.johnboccio.com/courses/SOC26/15-SOC.pdf > > > > Self-organized criticality: > > http://web.mit.edu/8.334/www/grades/projects/projects12/V.%20A.%20Golyk.pdf > > > > Self-organized criticality – what it is and what it isn’t > > > http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.96.8017&rep=rep1&type=pdf. > > > > > *D. **Phenomenology in Medicine* > > > > The meaning of illness: a phenomenological approach to the > physician/patient relationship: > https://baylor-ir.tdl.org/baylor-ir/handle/2104/8286 ; > http://hdl.handle.net/2104/8286. > > > > Body Matters: A Phenomenology of Sickness, Disease, and Illness: > > http://philpapers.org/rec/AHOBMA. > > > > Suffering Transfigured: Phenomenological Personalism In the Doctor-Patient > Relationship: > http://elischolar.library.yale.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1658&context=ymtdl > . > > The challenge of neuroscience: Psychiatry and phenomenology today: > https://www.klinikum.uni-heidelberg.de/fileadmin/zpm/psychatrie/fuchs/Challenge_of_Neuroscience.pdf > . > > > > Rediscovering Psychopathology: The Epistemology and Phenomenology of the > Psychiatric Object: > http://cfs.ku.dk/staff/zahavi-publications/Rediscovering_Psychopathology.pdf > . > > PHENOMENOLOGY IN PSYCHIATRY: > http://www.wpanet.org/uploads/Sections/Philosopy_and_Humanities/Phenomenology-in-Psychiatry.pdf. > > > *Plamen* > ____________________________________________________________ > 2015 JPBMB Special Issue on Integral Biomathics: Life Sciences, > Mathematics and Phenomenological Philosophy > <http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00796107/119/3> > (note: free access to all articles until July 19th, 2016) > > 2013 JPBMB Special Issue on Integral Biomathics: Can Biology Create a > Profoundly New Mathematics and Computation? > <http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00796107/113/1> > > 2012 Integral Biomathics: Tracing the Road to Reality > <http://www.springer.com/engineering/computational+intelligence+and+complexity/book/978-3-642-28110-5> > > 2011 INtegral BIOmathics Support Action (INBIOSA) <http://www.inbiosa.eu> > > ____________________________________________________________ > > > _______________________________________________ > Fis mailing list > Fis@listas.unizar.es > http://listas.unizar.es/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/fis > >
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