Group: Philosophy_of_Information - with tag genetic [3 articles]

Abstract

Inheriting the mantle of revolutionary biologist from Darwin, Watson, and Crick, Richard Dawkins forced an enormous change in the way we see ourselves and the world with the publication of <I>The Selfish Gene</I>. Suppose, instead of thinking about organisms using genes to reproduce themselves, as we had since Mendel's work was rediscovered, we turn it around and imagine that "our" genes build and maintain us in order to make more genes. That simple reversal seems to answer many puzzlers which ...

Abstract

Many people are familiar with the physico-chemical properties of gene sequences. In this paper I present a mathematical perspective: how do mathematical principles such as information theory, coding theory, and combinatorics influence the beginnings of life and the formation of the genetic codes we observe today? What constraints on possible life forms are imposed by information-theoretical concepts? Further, I detail how mathematical principles can help us to analyse the genetic sequences we observe in the world today. ...