Thoughtforms Life Conversation between Douglas Brash, Chris Fields, and Michael Levin
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Jan 27, 2023 Michael Levin speaks with Chris Fields, an interdisciplinary researcher at the crossroads of physics, cognition, and AI, and Douglas Brash, a molecular biologist studying sunlight, skin cancer, and developmental puzzles. They explore cellular competency, how cells communicate and coordinate like tiny agents, evolutionary consequences for development and cancer, and how simple local goals yield complex collective behavior.
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From Physics To Molecular Biology
- Douglas Brash recounts his path from physics to molecular biology driven by curiosity about time and cognition.
- He describes learning molecular biology to get experimental clarity after theoretical training.
Gradient Following To Planning Continuum
- Navigation toward biological endpoints lies on a continuum from simple gradient-following to sophisticated planning and delayed gratification.
- Experimental perturbations reveal many tissues use context-sensitive, nontrivial strategies to reach targets.
Individuals Emerge From Boundary Making
- Selfhood and individual boundaries emerge as cells coordinate to define internal vs. external, not pre-specified genetically.
- Levin argues the number of individuals in an embryo is determined dynamically by which regions can communicate and heal.
