Abstract: | Motivated by the postulates:- (a)
- Matter has complementary properties: matter waves at high mass density and information oscillations at high information density.
- (b)
- Biological systems are information generating systems, i.e., genome capacity to generate developmental functional complexity (phenotype).
- (c)
- Biological information sustains the living state.
We discuss a definite model in which the life state of an organism, for successive generations, is a generalized Schrödinger's type of system which is non-conservative, nonlinear and irreversible. Vitality, the state variable, is the genome capacity to generate developmental functional complexity (phenotype). It is a function of the phenotypic variables of biological information, i.e., matter-energy growth function, life expectancy and natality.We also discuss evolution within this model. We find that the evolution of a unicellular organism, being a process through which the life function undertakes negative damping, leads to the increase of total vitality. Total vitality is a function of the system's lifespan, bio-complexity and total matter-energy metabolized or body mass. Total vitality is quantized. The derived quantization relationship provides plausible theoretical basis for punctuated equilibrium. Total bio-information (total vitality + total natality density) is conserved. The conserved quantity describes evolution and generates ecosystem, population and organism growth dynamics. Vitality has the dimension of flow-bits. Finally, a thought experiment is proposed to falsify the hypothesis. |