- Title Pages
- Epigraph
- Preface
-
Chapter 1 Introduction -
Chapter 2 Basic Concepts of Artificial Chemistries -
Chapter 3 The Matrix Chemistry as an Example -
Chapter 4 Computing Chemical Reactions -
Chapter 5 The Chemistry of Life -
Chapter 6 The Essence of Life -
Chapter 7 Evolution -
Chapter 8 Complexity and Open-Ended Evolution -
Chapter 9 Rewriting Systems -
Chapter 10 Automata and Machines -
Chapter 11 Bio-inspired Artificial Chemistries -
Chapter 12 The Structure of Organizations -
Chapter 13 The Dynamics of Organizations -
Chapter 14 Self-Organization and Emergent Phenomena -
Chapter 15 Constructive Dynamical Systems -
Chapter 16 Applications of Artificial Chemistries -
Chapter 17 Computing with Artificial Chemistries -
Chapter 18 Modeling Biological Systems -
Chapter 19 Wet Artificial Chemistries -
Chapter 20 Beyond Chemistry and Biology -
Chapter 21 Summary and Perspectives - Further Reading
-
Appendix: Setting up Your Own Artificial Chemistry System - Bibliography
- Author Index
- Subject Index
The Essence of Life
The Essence of Life
- Chapter:
- (p.111) Chapter 6 The Essence of Life
- Source:
- Artificial Chemistries
- Author(s):
Wolfgang Banzhaf
Lidia Yamamoto
- Publisher:
- The MIT Press
This chapter briefly explores the potential mechanisms underlying a transition from inanimate matter to life. First of all, the structure of a minimal cell is discussed, according to chemoton theory and autopoiesis. A summary of current theories about the origin of life on Earth then follows: starting from the formation of organic compounds in a prebiotic world, various hypotheses have been formulated about how these basic building blocks could have been combined into self-replicating and evolving structures that can be considered alive. Three of these hypotheses are covered: RNA World hypothesis, the Iron-Sulfur World, and the Lipid World. The chapter is concluded with an overview of Artificial Chemistries intended to study minimal cells and the origins of life, such as autocatalytic sets and autopoietic protocells.
Keywords: Autocatalytic set, Autopoiesis, Chemoton, Iron-Sulfur World, Lipid World, Minimal cell, Origin of life, Prebiotic world, RNA World
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- Title Pages
- Epigraph
- Preface
-
Chapter 1 Introduction -
Chapter 2 Basic Concepts of Artificial Chemistries -
Chapter 3 The Matrix Chemistry as an Example -
Chapter 4 Computing Chemical Reactions -
Chapter 5 The Chemistry of Life -
Chapter 6 The Essence of Life -
Chapter 7 Evolution -
Chapter 8 Complexity and Open-Ended Evolution -
Chapter 9 Rewriting Systems -
Chapter 10 Automata and Machines -
Chapter 11 Bio-inspired Artificial Chemistries -
Chapter 12 The Structure of Organizations -
Chapter 13 The Dynamics of Organizations -
Chapter 14 Self-Organization and Emergent Phenomena -
Chapter 15 Constructive Dynamical Systems -
Chapter 16 Applications of Artificial Chemistries -
Chapter 17 Computing with Artificial Chemistries -
Chapter 18 Modeling Biological Systems -
Chapter 19 Wet Artificial Chemistries -
Chapter 20 Beyond Chemistry and Biology -
Chapter 21 Summary and Perspectives - Further Reading
-
Appendix: Setting up Your Own Artificial Chemistry System - Bibliography
- Author Index
- Subject Index
