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On the Evolution of the Biological Framework for Insight
Version 1
: Received: 1 April 2021 / Approved: 2 April 2021 / Online: 2 April 2021 (11:42:18 CEST)
A peer-reviewed article of this Preprint also exists.
Neidhöfer, C. On the Evolution of the Biological Framework for Insight. Philosophies 2021, 6, 43. Neidhöfer, C. On the Evolution of the Biological Framework for Insight. Philosophies 2021, 6, 43.
Abstract
The details of abiogenesis to date remain a matter of debate and constitute a key mystery in science and philosophy. The prevailing scientific hypothesis implies an evolutionary process of increasing complexity on earth starting from (self-) replicating polymers. Defining the cut-off point where life begins is another moot point beyond the scope of this article. We will instead walk through the known evolutionary steps that lead from these first exceptional polymers to the vast network of living biomatter that spans our world today, focusing in particular on perception, from simple biological feedback mechanisms to the complexity that allows for abstract thought. We then will project from the well-known to the unknown to gain a glimpse on what the universe aims to accomplish with living matter, just to find that if the universe had ever planned to be comprehended, evolution still has a long way to go.
Keywords
evolutionary biology; astrobiology; philosophy of biology; epistemology
Subject
Biology and Life Sciences, Anatomy and Physiology
Copyright: This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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