Abstract
Living systems are characterized by unique properties that make them resistant to the ``information-processingperspective'' of traditional cognitive science.This paper details those unique properties andoffers a new theoretical framework forunderstanding the behavior of living systems.This framework leans heavily on ideas fromgeneral systems theory (specifically Bateson'sinteractionist perspective), semiotics, andMerleau-Ponty's phenomenology. The benefits ofusing this framework are illustrated withexamples from two different domains: immunologyand verbal interaction.
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Neuman, Y. How Deep is the Surface? A Theoretical Framework for Understanding Meaning-Making in Living Systems. Foundations of Science 8, 393–415 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026371128677
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026371128677