Re: computability, what computers can do

DON MIKULECKY (MIKULECKY%VCUVAX.BITNET@letterbox.rl.ac.uk)
Fri, 15 Sep 1995 16:05:32 -0400


Don Mikulecky,MCV/VCU,Mikulecky@gems.vcu.edu
reply to Mike Lash re:Kampis, etc.
ref: George Kampis, "Self-Modifying systems in Biology and cognative science"
Pergamon, 1991
from the preface:(refering to Newtonian physics and its extensions...
"Why are these ideas so widespread? Is it really because they are, in
their barest form, universally valid?

My answer is a most emphatic no. I developed the position that
we have to lay down new principles for explanation, in oeder to cope with
the complexity of life and cognition. ...... Concretely, I try to show
that computable systems are inadequate for modeling a class of systems I call
'component-systems'. (these) have characteristics abstracted from macromolecular
systems but the class seems to be more general, and encompasses all systems t
hatproduce their own components."
Components is a word Rosen uses to distinguish functional, relational units from
"parts" ala reductionism. Later in the preface he states..."And I should li
ke to mention a distant mentor, professor Robert Rosen, with whom I never met
so
far but consider myself a follower of." see also"The machine as metaphor and
tool" (Haken, Karlqvst, and Svedin eds.) Springer verlag..1993...especially
the articles by Rosen and by Dewdney. There are a few more, but I have them
at home and will do them on Monday. I hope this helps a bit.
Best wishes,
Don Mikulecky