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7 years ago in Biology , Philosophy of Science By Rinku

Can the laws of physics be considered a product of biological systems?

This stems from readings in quantum foundations and the anthropic principle. It's not about biology determining physics, but rather whether our formulation of physical laws is inextricably filtered through our biological sensory and cognitive apparatus. I'm interested in a rigorous, scholarly perspective on this fringe but fascinating idea.

 

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By Reema Answered 6 years ago

This is a profound question that sits at a fascinating crossroads. From a strict realist perspective, most physicists I've worked with argue the laws are ontologically prior. However, our formulation of them is undoubtedly a product of our cognitive apparatus a kind of "cognitive niche." I've seen compelling arguments, especially from quantum interpretation circles, that we cannot cleanly separate the revealed law from the structure of the observer. It's less that biology creates physics, but that biology selects which aspects of physical reality become "laws" for us.

 

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