An Action Principle for Biological Systems

Abstract

Abstract In the analysis of physical systems, the forces and mechanics of all system changes as codified in the Newtonian laws can be redefined by the methods of Lagrange and Hamilton through an identification of the governing action principle as a more general framework for dynamics. For the living system, it is the dimensional and relational structure of its biologic continuum (both internal and external to the organism) that creates the signature informational metrics and course configurations for the action dynamics associated with any natural systems phenomena. From this dynamic information theoretic framework, an action functional can be also derived in accordance with the methods of Lagrange. The experiential process of acquiring information and translating it into actionable meaning for adaptive responses is the driving force for changes in the living system. The core axiomatic procedure of this adaptive process should include an innate action principle that can determine the system’s directional changes. This procedure for adaptive system reconciliation of divergences from steady state within the biocontinuum can be described by an information metric formulation of the process for actionable knowledge acquisition that incorporates the axiomatic inference of the Kullback’s Principle of Minimum Discrimination Information powered by the mechanics of survival replicator dynamics. This entropic driven trajectory naturally minimizes the biocontinuum information gradient differences like a least action principle and is an inference procedure for directional change. If the mathematical expression of this process is the Lagrangian integrand for adaptive changes within the biocontinuum, then it is also considered as an action functional for the living system.