Re: Evidence for Big Leaps?



hersheyhv wrote:

No, that's not it. My claim, which is a proposition at the
algorithmic level of abstraction,


Why should anyone give a flying f**k for your algorithmic level of
abstraction if it cannot made real or have an effect at the level of
actual material consequences? If there is no evidence (and much
counterevidence) that mutation is anything but random wrt need, that
means that your algorithmic abstractions have no testable consequences.
...
> What "anticipatory computational processes by the biochemical
> network of a cell"? You have yet to demonstrate that a
> cell even *has* a "computational process" much less an
> anticipatory one. All you have presented is some New Age
> mumbo-jumbo verbal mysticism.
> [...and so on]

I don't wish to sound insensitive or heartless or anything
like that, but you do need to bring yourself _up to date_
with contemporary research and the entire scientific
disciplines focused entirely on various aspects of
computations and algorithms of biochemical networks.
Otherwise you risk appearing foolish by making public
declarations like those above.

Below are few links which will help you toward getting
up to date on the relevant _contemporary_ science (which
you and few others here appear to be blissfully unaware of,
and for some reason quite proud of it). The quote below is a
summary of the objectives of a scientific conference/workshop
(from couple years ago) dedicated to the computations and
algorithms in the biochemical networks:

-------------------------------------------------------------------
Dynamics, control and computation in biochemical networks (2004)

Cells and organisms have evolved elaborate mechanisms to carry out their basic functions. Networks of biochemical reactions are responsible for processing environmental signals, inducing the appropriate cellular responses and sequence of internal events. The overall molecular algorithms carried out by such networks are as yet poorly understood.

Recent years have witnessed remarkable advances in elucidating the components of these networks due to technological achievements. Prominent among these achievements are the means for rapid sequencing of genomes, the means for simultaneously determining the expression levels of thousands of different genes, and recombinant DNA techniques to isolate, identify, manipulate, and synthesize genetic and metabolic networks. These advances have confronted the biological sciences with massive amounts of data that require huge computational resources.

The field of bioinformatics has developed sophisticated computer-based algorithms which all cellular and molecular biologists now use to identify and analyze DNA and protein sequences.

This workshop is designed to address a range of questions that goes beyond the development of algorithms for the searching and analysis of genomic and protein data bases.

The workshop will bring together mathematicians, physical scientists, engineers, computer scientists, and biological scientists to address fundamental questions concerning the computations that are carried out within cellular and genetic biological networks.

What are prototypical tasks and prototypical algorithms for biochemical circuits? How are these mechanisms regulated? How can important logical elements be identified experimentally or by data-mining? What are the "design principles" of biological circuits? What are fundamental limitations on the performance of molecular systems? The workshop will provide an environment in which these issues can be considered by a diverse group of researchers with backgrounds in dynamics, computation, control theory and biology.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.pims.math.ca/birs/workshops/2004/04w5550/


---- Links

== Biochemical Networks
http://www.google.com/search?num=100&hl=en&lr=&safe=off&q=%22biochemical+networks%22&btnG=Search
http://www.google.com/search?num=100&hl=en&lr=&safe=off&q=%22biochemical+reaction+networks%22&btnG=Search

== Autocatalytic Networks
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=%22autocatalytic+network%22&btnG=Google+Search
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=%22reaction+networks%22&btnG=Google+Search
http://citeseer.csail.mit.edu/cs?cs=1&q=autocatalytic+network&submit=Documents&co=Citations&cm=50&cf=Any&ao=Citations&am=20&af=Any

== Complexity Science
http://www.santafe.edu/research/publications/working-papers.php
http://arxiv.org/find/grp_q-bio,grp_nlin/1/ti:+AND+complex+system/0/1/0/all/0/1
http://arxiv.org/find/grp_q-bio/1/ti:+network/0/1/0/all/0/1
http://www.google.com/search?num=100&hl=en&lr=&safe=off&q=%22complexity+science%22&btnG=Search

== Neural Networks
http://www.google.com/search?num=100&hl=en&lr=&safe=off&q=%22neural+network%22&btnG=Search
http://citeseer.csail.mit.edu/cs?q=neural%20network&cs=1&submit=Search+Documents&af=Header&ao=Citations&am=20



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