Jorge Manuel C. R. do Giro (2025), Understanding Living Systems: Purpose and Evolution (Notes), Designing Resilient Regenerative Systems – ETH Zurich, https://design-resilient-regenerative-systems.mn.co/posts/understanding-living-systems-purpose-and-evolution-notes

Understanding Living Systems: Purpose and Evolution (Notes)

Studying living systems has changed a lot over the years, especially when it comes to understanding purpose and agency in biological organisms. In the past, biology mostly viewed life as deterministic, suggesting that organisms were just machines operated by their genes. But new ideas from thinkers like Dennis and Ray Noble are challenging this view. They argue that organisms actively shape their environments instead of just responding to them. This piece looks at their critique of traditional biology and advocates for a new way of thinking about life that includes agency and purpose.

Moving from Gene-Focused to Purposeful Organisms Dennis and Ray Noble, with their backgrounds in physiology and biology, have seen how gene-centered theories have dominated the field, especially with Richard Dawkins' notion of the selfish gene. This idea portrays organisms as mere vessels for their genes, focusing on evolutionary strategies for gene survival. The Nobles believe this perspective is flawed. They argue that viewing organisms as passive machines ignores the complexity of life. Instead, they see organisms as active agents that shape their environments and their evolutionary paths. They suggest that humans, in particular, have a unique ability to create complex social and environmental settings through language, culture, and technology. So, agency and purpose should be key in understanding biological life.

Reconnecting Biology with Purpose and Agency A key idea in the Nobles' work is the importance of purpose in biology. They challenge the long-held belief that only humans have purpose while other organisms operate purely on instinct or genetics. This view, they say, comes from an outdated mechanical perspective of biology that gained traction during the Renaissance and was worsened by genetics. The Nobles push for a more complete understanding of organisms that considers both their biological functions and their purposeful adaptations to changes in their environments. They emphasize that organisms aren’t just shaped by their genes; they also make decisions and engage in goal-oriented behavior. Studies on animal behavior show that even simple organisms can solve problems and face challenges in ways that aren’t strictly determined by their genes. For instance, animals like birds and whales show complex behaviors—like communication and navigation—that imply they actively interact with their surroundings. These behaviors are influenced by genetics but also by their environments, pointing to their active role in evolution.

Systems Biology: A Better Way to Understand Evolution The Nobles' critique goes beyond just genes, venturing into systems biology, which they believe better captures the complexity of living systems. Traditional biology often studies organisms in isolation, treating them like they exist in a vacuum. Systems biology, in contrast, looks at how organisms connect with their environments, seeing life as an adaptable system instead of a bunch of mechanical processes. According to the Nobles, this systems-based approach gives a clearer picture of biology and helps tackle big global issues. For example, diseases like cancer and diabetes can't be fully understood through a gene-focused lens. These diseases involve various factors—both genetic and environmental—that interact in complicated ways. A systems biology approach takes the bigger picture into account, which is crucial for medical advancements and public health.

The Role of Epigenetics and Adaptation Another important aspect of the Nobles’ argument is epigenetics, which refers to how traits can be passed down without altering the DNA itself. They point out that environmental factors like nutrition and stress can affect gene expression in ways that can be inherited. This challenges the old idea that only genetic changes lead to evolution. The Nobles feel that epigenetics allows organisms to adapt more quickly to environmental changes, an essential aspect of evolution. For instance, a mother’s health can impact her fetus in ways that affect long-term health. This suggests that evolution isn’t just a slow, genetic process but rather a responsive system that can adapt more rapidly than we used to think.

Agency, Evolution, and the Future of Biology Shifting away from a gene-centric view of biology has big implications for how we see our role in the world and our responsibility to it. The Nobles argue that recognizing organisms as active agents with purpose helps us appreciate the connections between all living systems. This view promotes an understanding of life that emphasizes cooperation and shared responsibility. As we face major environmental challenges today, like climate change and loss of biodiversity, the Nobles' ideas show how life can not only survive but thrive in changing conditions. By adopting a systems approach, we can see the resilience of life and use that understanding to create more sustainable solutions to the issues we face.

Conclusion The work of Dennis and Ray Noble marks a significant change in how we understand living systems, pushing back against the gene-centric view of biology. Their focus on the agency and purpose of organisms calls for a more connected, systems-based perspective that accounts for the complex relationships between genes, behavior, environment, and evolution. Their ideas offer fresh insights into life and evolution, stressing the active role organisms play in shaping their future and that of the world. As we tackle the challenges of the 21st century, their work serves as a reminder of life’s interconnectedness and resilience, offering hope for a more sustainable and meaningful future.

References • Alon, U. (2007). An introduction to systems biology: Design principles of biological circuits. CRC Press. • Bateson, P. (2000). Foolishness and wisdom: An exploration of the human mind. Cambridge University Press. • Berg, J. M. (2015). Biochemistry (8th ed.). W.H. Freeman. • Dawkins, R. (1976). The selfish gene. Oxford University Press. • Fraser, D. F., Kinnison, M. T., & Palkovacs, E. P. (2018). Evolution of behavior in evolutionary biology. Oxford University Press. • Jirtle, R. L., & Skinner, M. K. (2007). Environmental epigenomics and disease susceptibility. Nature Reviews Genetics, 8(4), 253–262. • Laland, K. N., Odling-Smee, J., & Feldman, M. W. (2014). Niche construction: The neglected process in evolution. Princeton University Press. • Noble, D. (2006). The music of life: Biology beyond the genome. Oxford University Press. • Noble, D., & Noble, R. (2023). Understanding living systems: A new paradigm for biology. Oxford University Press.