Description
A major conceptual step forward in understanding the logical architecture of living systems was advanced by von Neumann with his universal constructor, a physical device capable of self-reproduction. A necessary condition for a universal constructor to exist is that the laws of physics permit physical universality, such that any transformation (consistent with the laws of physics and availability of resources) can be caused to occur. While physical universality has been demonstrated in simple cellular automata models, so far these have not displayed a requisite feature of life—namely open-ended evolution—the explanation of which was also a prime motivator in von Neumann’s formulation of a universal constructor. Current examples of physical universality rely on reversible dynamical laws, whereas it is well-known that living processes are dissipative. Here we show that physical universality and open-ended dynamics should both be possible in irreversible dynamical systems if one entertains the possibility of state-dependent laws. We demonstrate with simple toy models how the accessibility of state space can yield open-ended trajectories, defined as trajectories that do not repeat within the expected Poincaré recurrence time and are not reproducible by an isolated system. We discuss implications for physical universality, or an approximation to it, as a foundational framework for developing a physics for life.
Details
Title
- Physical Universality, State-Dependent Dynamical Laws and Open-Ended Novelty
Contributors
- Adams, Alyssa (Author)
- Berner, Angelica (Author)
- Davies, Paul (Author)
- Walker, Sara (Author)
- College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (Contributor)
- BEYOND: Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science (Contributor)
- Department of Physics (Contributor)
- School of Earth and Space Exploration (Contributor)
- ASU-SFI Center for Biosocial Complex Systems (Contributor)
Date Created
The date the item was original created (prior to any relationship with the ASU Digital Repositories.)
2017-09-01
Resource Type
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Identifier
- Digital object identifier: 10.3390/e19090461
- Identifier TypeInternational standard serial numberIdentifier Value1099-4300
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Adams, A., Berner, A., Davies, P., & Walker, S. (2017). Physical Universality, State-Dependent Dynamical Laws and Open-Ended Novelty. Entropy, 19(12), 461. doi:10.3390/e19090461