Time-asymmetric phenomena in biology

Abstract

Modern natural science is still based on the Cartesian dualism of mind and body («res cogitans» and «res extensa»), as well as on Francis Bacon's rejection of final causes. Yet there is a growing recognition of the inadequacy of the Cartesian and Baconian conceptions as the only basis for our understanding of nature. Modern quantum mechanics has rendered obsolete reductionism and atomism and casts severe doubts on the Cartesian duality. Furthermore, the Baconian rejection of teleology does not follow from the first principles of quantum theory. While modern physics cannot dispense with the Cartesian cut, the distinction between endophysical and exophysical descriptions forces the breaking of the fundamental time-reflection symmetry and allows the derivation of both Baconian and teleological exophysical descriptions from the first principles of algebraic quantum exophysics.