Theoretical approaches to holistic biological features: Pattern formation, neural networks and the brain-mind relation.

Full Abstract

The topic of this article is the relation between bottom-up and top-down, reductionist and holistic approaches to the solution of basic biological problems. While there is no doubt that the laws of physics apply to all events in space and time, including the domains of life, understanding biology depends not only on elucidating the role of the molecules involved, but, to an increasing extent, on systems theoretical approaches in diverse fields of the life sciences. Examples discussed in this article are the generation of spatial patterns in development by the interplay of autocatalysis and lateral inhibition; the evolution of integrating capabilities of the human brain, such as cognition-based empathy; and both neurobiological and epistemological aspects of scientific theories of consciousness and the mind.

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Author information

Author/s: Gierer, Alfred (A);

Affiliation: Max-Planck-Institute for Developmental Biology, Spemannstrasse 35, D-72076 Tuebingen, Germany. alfred.gierer(-atsign-)tuebingen.mpg.de

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: Journal of biosciences (J Biosci), published in India. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2002-Jun; vol 27 (issue 3) : pp 195-205

Dates: Created 2002/06/28; Completed 2002/12/04; Revised 2004/11/17;

PMID: 12089469, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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