This paper discusses updating the metaphor of "life as machine" in light of modern machine behavior science. It argues the boundaries between machines and living things have blurred as machines have gained properties like autonomy, evolution, and intelligence. New definitions are proposed that apply to both biology and technology, like broadening the concept of a "program" beyond human-written code. A framework is presented classifying hybrid biological-machine systems based on organization, autonomy, and design. The paper concludes that better cooperation between biology and computer science will provide mutual benefits and new research perspectives.
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Extended Summary of "Living Things Are Not (20th Century) Machines : Updating Mechanism Metaphors in Light of the New Science of Machine Behavior"
1. EXTENDED SUMMARY OF
“LIVING THINGS ARE NOT (20TH CENTURY)
MACHINES: UPDATING MECHANISM
METAPHORS IN LIGHT OF THE NEW SCIENCE
OF MACHINE BEHAVIOR”
Bongard J and Levin M (2021) Living Things Are Not (20th Century) Machines:
Updating Mechanism Metaphors in Light of the Modern Science of Machine
Behavior. Front. Ecol. Evol. 9:650726. doi: 10.3389/fevo.2021.650726
Laureando:
Simone Cappiello
Relatore:
Prof. Eric Medvet
Anno
Accademico
2021/2022
2. QUESTIONS AND PURPOSES OF
THE PAPER
What is meant by
“machine”?
Need to update the
“life as machine”
metaphor
Improving definitions so
that they can also apply
to biology
Rise of a new multidisciplinary field
mixing aspects of information
sciences, physics and biology.
3. MACHINE/LIFE DUALISM:
REDRAWING THE BOUNDARIES
MACHINES LIFE ARGUMENTS
Independent Interdependent Machines that perform
communication and
cooperation with the
environment in which they
are placed exist.
Designed Evolved Evolutionary algorithms
proved that robots, synthetic
organisms, and other
machines can be evolved.
4. MACHINE/LIFE DUALISM:
REDRAWING THE BOUNDARIES
MACHINES LIFE ARGUMENTS
Linearly Modular Hierarchical and self-
similar
Still a consistent difference,
though efforts to implement
self-similarity in machines will
increase.
Not capable of
intelligence
Capable of intelligence Debates about what
intelligence is are still open.
Biohybrid systems where
machines influence behavior
and intelligence exist.
5. MACHINE/LIFE DUALISM:
REDRAWING THE BOUNDARIES
MACHINES LIFE ARGUMENTS
Can be studied in
a reductionist
framework
Cannot be studied in a
reductionist framework
Technologies like neural
networks and swarm AI
need a top-down
approach to be
understood.
Have clear
hardware/software
distinctions
Doesn’t have clear
hardware/software
distinctions
The distinction is blurry in
both biology and
technology.
6. IMPROVING DEFINITIONS
MACHINE System using principles of physics and
computation to amplify the power of an agent
to make changes in its environment. Not
necessarily a physical entity.
ROBOT Machine affecting its environment through
physical action.
7. IMPROVING DEFINITIONS
PROGRAM Abstract procedure that can be executed
on many different physical systems that
support computation. Not necessarily
written by humans and linear one-step-at-
a-time instructions. Concept extended to
biological systems.
SOFTWARE/
HARDWARE
Hardware is usually harder to modify than
software. Though, taking for granted a sharp
distinction between the two might not be
useful in creating intelligent machines and
studying biological adaptation.
8. HYBRIDIZATION:
Classifying hybrid
systems
• FIGURE 1 (Source: Bongard and
Levin 2021).
Hybrid systems placed on a multi-
scale axis based on the level of
organization (from cells, to
individuals, to swarms, z axis),
degree of autonomy (from merely
mechanical to high-level
cognition, y axis ) and degree of
design (from designed to evolved
systems, x axis)
9. MULTIDISCIPLINARY
BENEFITS OF A NEW
SCIENCE OF MACHINES
Improving techniques of reverse-engineering and multi scale
analysis, useful in regenerative medicine and developmental
biology.
Improving understanding of cognition.
Using biomimicry in artificial intelligence research.
10. CONCLUSION
Biology and
Computer Science
Science fields dealing with
similar issues in different
media
A better cooperation between the two will open
new perspectives in empirical research and widen
the space of possible embodied computing
systems.
