TY - CHAP
T1 - Chapter 12 A Point for Thought
T2 - Meaning-Bridging the Gap between Physics and Semantics
AU - Neuman, Yair
PY - 2008/3/25
Y1 - 2008/3/25
N2 - Attempts to apply information in its syntactic sense to biology encounter the sharp criticism of irrelevance. Nevertheless, when biologists reflect on their subject matter they inevitably invite bridging concepts, such as information, the relevance of which is not always clear. In this chapter, it is suggested that meaning, rather than information, is the appropriate concept for biologists, not only because as a new organizing concept it introduces new research questions but also because, in contrast to information, it can bridge the physical-biological-semantic gap.
AB - Attempts to apply information in its syntactic sense to biology encounter the sharp criticism of irrelevance. Nevertheless, when biologists reflect on their subject matter they inevitably invite bridging concepts, such as information, the relevance of which is not always clear. In this chapter, it is suggested that meaning, rather than information, is the appropriate concept for biologists, not only because as a new organizing concept it introduces new research questions but also because, in contrast to information, it can bridge the physical-biological-semantic gap.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=40849088115&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/S1571-0831(07)00212-2
DO - 10.1016/S1571-0831(07)00212-2
M3 - Chapter
AN - SCOPUS:40849088115
SN - 9780444530332
T3 - Studies in Multidisciplinarity
SP - 171
EP - 183
BT - Reviving the Living
A2 - McNamara, Laura
A2 - Meyer, Mary
A2 - Patondagger, Ray
A2 - Neuman, Yair
ER -