Biological autonomy: The self-creation of constraints (Q688947)

Biological systems cannot predict all states that will appear in the future in a complex environment that changes with indefinite uncertainty. Creation of relevant information is therefore needed from time to time for self-control and cognitive activity. Since it is impossible for a biological system to know all the events in the future, what is needed is to create relevant information in real time depending on the environmental state. By what principles is this attained given the limited capacity of biological systems? The purpose of the present paper is to theoretically discuss these principles. It is shown that the best approach to this problem is to start from the network dynamics of a ``relative or relational system'' composed of a specific type of active elements, tentatively named ``actors''. The property of an actor is indefinite in isolated states but becomes definite or emerges in the relative system, depending on its relations with the other actors.