Comments on the unreasonable effectiveness of the biological and especially medical sciences

Medical Hypotheses
K M Anderson, J E Harris

Abstract

About 50 years ago it was pointed out by Dr. Eugene Wigner that applications of mathematics to a wide range of physical problems were inexplicably effective in both their immediate practical results and predictive power. The reasons for this remain elusive. In a loosely analogous sense, parallels can be drawn between such an effectiveness and the evolving power of the biological sciences, leading to the accomplishment of many practical and theoretical goals. We consider some of the similarities and differences that distinguish these two modalities with which certain features of physical reality are apprehanded, analyzed and manipulated.

References

Dec 1, 1989·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·S Munro, T Maniatis

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Aug 2, 2003·The British Journal of Psychiatry : the Journal of Mental Science·Sameer P Sarkar, Gwen Adshead

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.

Related Papers

The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease
Spencer Eth, Gregory B Leong
Physical Review. E, Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics
S Başkal, Y S Kim
Journal of Biomedical Informatics
Zellig S Harris
© 2021 Meta ULC. All rights reserved