PRINCIPLES OF QUANTITATIVE LIVING SYSTEMS SCIENCE: INDIVIDUALS

摘要

The fundamental principles of quantitative living systems science have been developed forrnindividuals and are presented in this paper. These principles are (1) behaviors of individualsrnare observable and measurable by the energies used in these behaviors, (2) individuals haverna unique behavioral characteristic which is a capacity to direct energy, (3) an individual’srncapacity to direct energy is a function of its structure and organization, (4) an individual’srncapacity to direct energy can be quantified (measured or calculated), (5) an individual’srnbehavior is a function of the energy available to the individual, (6) an individual’s behaviorrnis a function of behavioral information, (7) behavioral information is the ability to causernwork and can be measured by the work it causes, and (8) an individual’s behavior is a directrnfunction of the its capacity to direct energy, to available energy, and to behavioralrninformation. All individuals from a single cell through humans generate, process, and usernboth genetic and biochemical information. In addition to genetic and biochemicalrninformation, animals generate, process and use neural information.rnThe fundamental principles of quantitative living systems science are equivalent to thernfundamental principles of nonliving systems sciences. This equivalence provides a meansrnfor demonstrating that living systems sciences can be united with the extant nonlivingrnsystems sciences to form a union of the nonliving and the living systems sciences.