Philosophical Aspects of Astrobiology Revisited

Bibliographic Data

ID22133753
AuthorsRainer Zimmermann (0000-0001-7508-178X, Institut für Design Science München e.V., D-14197 Berlin, Germany, corresponding author)
Year2021
Volume6
Issue3
Pages55
Publication date2021-07-02
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenuePhilosophies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2409-9287 • E-ISSN: 2409-9287
PublisherMDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT)
DOI10.3390/philosophies6030055
OpenAlexW3174004404
LanguageEN
References cited36

Given the idea that Life as we know it is nothing but a special form of a generically underlying dynamical structure within the physical Universe, we try to introduce a concept of Life that is not only derived from first principles of fundamental physics, but also metaphysically based on philosophical assumptions about the foundations of the world. After clarifying the terminology somewhat, especially with a view to differentiating reality from modality, we give an example for a mathematical representation of what the substance of reality (in the traditional sense of metaphysics) could actually mean today, discussing twistor theory as an example. We then concentrate on the points of structural emergence by discussing the emergence of dynamical systems and of Life as we know it, respectively. Some further consequences as they relate to meaning are discussed in the end

Epistemology · Metaphysics · Nothing · Physics · Terminology · Theoretical physics · Earth Systems and Cosmic Evolution · Origins and Evolution of Life · Philosophy · Space Science and Extraterrestrial Life

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