In a thought-provoking presentation titled "Perspectives on Organisms: Biological Time, Symmetries and Singularities," researchers Giuseppe Longo and Maël Montévil delve into the fundamental principles that distinguish living systems from inanimate matter. The talk, available in a video format, challenges conventional reductionist approaches by proposing a framework that integrates time, symmetry, and singularity as core concepts for understanding organisms.
Longo and Montévil argue that biological time is not merely a linear parameter but a dynamic, irreversible process intrinsic to life. They explore how organisms exhibit symmetries that are broken at various levels, from molecular to ecological, and how these breakings contribute to the emergence of singularities—unique, unpredictable events that shape biological evolution and development.
The discussion emphasizes the need for new mathematical and conceptual tools to capture the complexity of living systems, moving beyond the physicalist models that dominate current biology. By rethinking the role of time and symmetry, the authors aim to provide a more coherent foundation for theoretical biology, one that respects the autonomy and historical contingency of organisms.
This work is part of a broader effort to integrate philosophy, mathematics, and biology, offering fresh insights into the nature of life and the limitations of mechanistic explanations.