A User’s Guide to the New Biology
Interview with Philip Ball about his book How Life Works: A User’s Guide to the New Biology. Challenges the notion that genes are the ‘secular equivalent of a soul’, arguing that life’s complexity stems not just from genes, but from their dynamic regulation by non-coding RNAs and multi-level causal interactions. Discusses causal spreading – where biological causation operates at various levels – and the contextual, contingent nature of cell fate decisions. Advocates for integrating concepts like agency and meaning into biology, contrasting this with traditional information theory. Concludes by exploring how this complexity impacts medicine, particularly cancer, and the promise of ‘synthetic morphology’ for tissue regeneration and drug testing.
See also the Conversations with Tyler episode.