Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

On the Scales of Selves: Information, Life, and Buddhist Philosophy

Version 1 : Received: 18 March 2021 / Approved: 22 March 2021 / Online: 22 March 2021 (15:59:51 CET)
Version 2 : Received: 10 May 2021 / Approved: 12 May 2021 / Online: 12 May 2021 (13:59:04 CEST)

How to cite: Gershenson, C. On the Scales of Selves: Information, Life, and Buddhist Philosophy. Preprints 2021, 2021030554. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202103.0554.v1 Gershenson, C. On the Scales of Selves: Information, Life, and Buddhist Philosophy. Preprints 2021, 2021030554. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202103.0554.v1

Abstract

When we attempt to define life, we tend to refer to individuals, those that are alive. But these individuals might be cells, organisms, colonies... ecosystems? We can describe living systems at different scales. Which ones might be the best ones to describe different selves? I explore this question using concepts from information theory, ALife, and Buddhist philosophy. After brief introductions, I review the implications of changing the scale of observation, and how this affects our understanding of selves at different structural, temporal, and informational scales. The conclusion is that there is no ``best'' scale for a self, as this will depend on the scale at which decisions must be made. Different decisions, different scales.

Keywords

philosophy of science; information; artificial life; scales; causality

Subject

Social Sciences, Anthropology

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