Jeremy Sherman on Emergence

⸺

  • “The fundamental challenge of life is to maintain order against the second law of thermodynamics, which drives systems towards disorder.”
  • “Autogens provide a model for how life can emerge from simple chemical reactions, leading to self-sustaining systems.”
  • “Selective interaction is key for survival, as it allows organisms to intake favorable substances and avoid harmful ones.”
  • “Emergent constraints are self-organizing principles that govern the behavior of complex systems, crucial for maintaining order.”
  • “Psychoproctology studies how humans can behave destructively, both individually and in groups.”
  • “Traditional theories like information first, metabolism first, and membrane first have significant limitations in explaining the emergence of life.”
  • “Sherman and Deacon’s work on autogens focuses on how life maintains regularity and order, counteracting the natural tendency towards chaos.”

Table of Contents: (Click any link below to navigate to that section.)

  1. Create a list of key terms in this content. Include their definitions. Provide a summary of the content, then assess it for factual accuracy, logical coherence, and testability.
    1. Key Terms and Definitions
    2. Summary of the Content
    3. Assessment
  2. Provide a profile of the podcast guest and links to media featuring his work.
    1. Profile of Jeremy Sherman
    2. Media Featuring Jeremy Sherman
  3. Do a deep dive into the primary arguments made in the transcript, augmented by other relevant sources. Create syllogisms of the arguments if possible, and make any causal chains explicit.
    1. Deep Dive into the Primary Arguments
      1. Argument 1: The Emergence of Life from Chemistry
      2. Argument 2: Autogen as a Self-Maintaining System
      3. Argument 3: The Role of Emergent Constraints
      4. Argument 4: The Importance of Selective Interaction
      5. Causal Chains
    2. Augmented by Relevant Sources
    3. Summary
  4. Provide your own assessment of the plausibility of these arguments, then assess the potential weaknesses.
    1. Assessment of Plausibility
      1. Plausibility of the Arguments
    2. Potential Weaknesses
    3. Conclusion
  5. Create a 10-item quiz on the entire thread above.
    1. Quiz
    2. Answers
  6. Provide 20 discussion questions relevant to the content above.
    1. Discussion Questions
      1. Bonus: Create an image that captures the essence of the content of this thread.

The Jim Rutt Show: Transcript of EP 228 – Jeremy Sherman on the Emergence and Nature of Selves

Create a list of key terms in this content. Include their definitions. Provide a summary of the content, then assess it for factual accuracy, logical coherence, and testability.

Key Terms and Definitions

  1. Autogen: A minimal model for a self-replicating system struggling for its own existence. It involves autocatalysis and the formation of protective shells.
  2. Autocatalysis: A process where a chemical reaction is catalyzed by one of its own products, leading to a self-sustaining reaction.
  3. Capsid Molecule: Molecules that form shells around genetic material, often seen in viruses.
  4. Constraint: A limitation or restriction that governs the behavior and interactions of a system.
  5. Dynamical Depth: A measure of complexity introduced by Terrence Deacon, focusing on the depth of interactions within a system.
  6. Emergent Constraint: A form of self-organization that arises spontaneously and governs the behavior of a system.
  7. Information First Model: A theory of the origin of life that posits information-bearing molecules like RNA as the initial step.
  8. Metabolism First Model: A theory that suggests life began with self-sustaining chemical reactions.
  9. Membrane First Model: A theory that life started with the formation of cell-like enclosures.
  10. Psychoproctology: A term coined by Jeremy Sherman to study how humans can behave destructively, individually or in groups.
  11. Selective Autogen: An advanced form of autogen that can selectively open or close in response to environmental conditions.
  12. Templated Autogen: An autogen that uses template molecules to store information and guide replication.

Summary of the Content

The podcast episode features an interview with Jeremy Sherman, discussing his book Neither Ghost nor Machine: The Emergence and Nature of Selves. Sherman collaborates with neuroscientist and anthropologist Terrence Deacon to explore how life emerged from chemistry, focusing on concepts like autocatalysis and autogens. They critique traditional theories of life’s origin, such as the information first, metabolism first, and membrane first models. Sherman introduces the idea of psychoproctology, examining destructive human behavior. The conversation also delves into the challenges of maintaining life against the second law of thermodynamics and the importance of selective interaction for survival.

Assessment

Factual Accuracy:

  • The content provides a clear and accurate explanation of complex biological and chemical concepts, grounded in scientific research.
  • Sherman’s collaboration with Deacon and their exploration of autogens are presented with fidelity to current scientific understanding.

Logical Coherence:

  • The arguments presented are logically structured, progressing from the fundamental challenges of life’s origin to the specifics of autogen theory.
  • The discussion of emergent constraints and the role of selective autogens is coherent and builds on established principles of biology and chemistry.

Testability:

  • While the theories discussed, particularly those involving autogens, are speculative, they are framed in a way that makes them potentially testable through future empirical research.
  • The discussion acknowledges the current lack of empirical testing but emphasizes the importance of developing models that can be tested in vitro.

Overall, the content offers a well-founded and thought-provoking exploration of life’s origins and the factors that sustain living systems, while also addressing the social implications of human behavior.

Provide a profile of the podcast guest and links to media featuring his work.

Profile of Jeremy Sherman

Name: Jeremy Sherman
Occupation: Writer, Researcher, Strategic Coach
Collaborator: Terrence Deacon (Neuroscientist and Biological Anthropologist)
Specializations:

  • Origins of Life
  • Autogen Theory
  • Psychoproctology (study of destructive human behavior)

Books:

  • Neither Ghost nor Machine: The Emergence and Nature of Selves

Articles: Contributed over a thousand articles to Psychology Today.

Summary: Jeremy Sherman is known for his in-depth exploration of how life emerged from chemistry and his unique approach to understanding human behavior through psychoproctology. His long-term collaboration with Terrence Deacon has produced significant insights into biological and philosophical questions.

Media Featuring Jeremy Sherman

  1. Podcast: The Jim Rutt Show
  1. Articles on Psychology Today
  1. YouTube:

These links provide access to a wide range of Jeremy Sherman’s work, offering insights into his research, writing, and unique perspectives on life’s origins and human behavior.

Do a deep dive into the primary arguments made in the transcript, augmented by other relevant sources. Create syllogisms of the arguments if possible, and make any causal chains explicit.

Deep Dive into the Primary Arguments

Argument 1: The Emergence of Life from Chemistry

Premise 1: Traditional theories like information first (RNA world), metabolism first, and membrane first have limitations in explaining the emergence of life from non-life.
Premise 2: Autogen theory proposes a model where life emerges from autocatalysis and the formation of protective shells (capsids).
Conclusion: Autogen theory provides a plausible alternative to traditional theories by explaining how self-sustaining chemical reactions can lead to the formation of early life forms.

Syllogism:

  1. If traditional theories have limitations in explaining the emergence of life, then alternative theories are needed.
  2. Autogen theory addresses these limitations by proposing autocatalysis and protective shells as mechanisms.
  3. Therefore, autogen theory is a plausible alternative for explaining the emergence of life.

Argument 2: Autogen as a Self-Maintaining System

Premise 1: Autocatalysis involves chemical reactions where products catalyze their own formation.
Premise 2: In the presence of capsid molecules, these reactions can be encapsulated, forming dormant states that can regenerate in favorable conditions.
Conclusion: The autogen model, through autocatalysis and encapsulation, describes a self-maintaining system that can survive and replicate in varying environments.

Syllogism:

  1. If a system can catalyze its own formation and form protective states, it can maintain and regenerate itself.
  2. Autogen theory describes such a system through autocatalysis and encapsulation.
  3. Therefore, autogen theory explains a self-maintaining and regenerative system.

Argument 3: The Role of Emergent Constraints

Premise 1: Life must maintain regularity and order against the second law of thermodynamics, which drives systems towards disorder.
Premise 2: Emergent constraints, such as the formation of traffic congestion or whirlpools, demonstrate how systems can maintain order and function.
Conclusion: Emergent constraints are crucial in explaining how life maintains order and regularity, making them fundamental to understanding biological systems.

Syllogism:

  1. If emergent constraints can maintain order in physical systems, they can explain how life maintains regularity.
  2. Autogen theory relies on emergent constraints to describe the maintenance of order in living systems.
  3. Therefore, emergent constraints are fundamental in explaining how life maintains order and regularity.

Argument 4: The Importance of Selective Interaction

Premise 1: Life requires the selective intake of energy and resources to sustain itself.
Premise 2: The selective autogen can open or close in response to environmental conditions, allowing it to intake favorable substances and avoid harmful ones.
Conclusion: Selective interaction is a key mechanism for survival and self-maintenance in early life forms, as demonstrated by the selective autogen.

Syllogism:

  1. If a system needs to selectively intake resources to sustain itself, it must have mechanisms to differentiate between favorable and harmful substances.
  2. The selective autogen demonstrates such mechanisms by opening or closing based on environmental conditions.
  3. Therefore, selective interaction is crucial for the survival and self-maintenance of early life forms.

Causal Chains

  1. Emergence of Life:
  • Chemical reactions (autocatalysis) → Formation of products that catalyze their own formation → Encapsulation in protective shells (capsids) → Dormant state in unfavorable conditions → Reactivation in favorable conditions → Self-sustaining life form (autogen).
  1. Maintenance of Order:
  • Chemical reactions (autocatalysis) → Formation of emergent constraints (e.g., traffic congestion, whirlpools) → Maintenance of order against the second law of thermodynamics → Regularity and order in biological systems.
  1. Selective Interaction:
  • Chemical reactions (autocatalysis) → Encapsulation in protective shells → Development of selective mechanisms (e.g., opening/closing in response to environment) → Selective intake of favorable substances and avoidance of harmful ones → Enhanced survival and self-maintenance.

Augmented by Relevant Sources

  1. RNA World Hypothesis:
  • The RNA world hypothesis suggests that life began with self-replicating RNA molecules. While RNA can store genetic information and catalyze chemical reactions, it is considered unstable and unlikely to exist in the prebiotic conditions without proteins and membranes (Joyce, G. F. (2002). The antiquity of RNA-based evolution).
  1. Metabolism First Hypothesis:
  • The metabolism first hypothesis posits that life began with self-sustaining metabolic networks. However, these networks would require highly specific conditions and catalysts to form spontaneously (Morowitz, H. J. (1992). Beginnings of cellular life: Metabolism recapitulates biogenesis).
  1. Membrane First Hypothesis:
  • The membrane first hypothesis argues that life started with the formation of lipid membranes. These membranes would need to be selectively permeable to support metabolic processes, which is challenging to achieve without pre-existing proteins (Deamer, D. W. (1997). The first living systems: a bioenergetic perspective).

Summary

The primary arguments in the transcript revolve around the limitations of traditional theories of life’s origin and the proposal of autogen theory as a plausible alternative. Autogen theory emphasizes the role of autocatalysis, encapsulation, and emergent constraints in explaining how life can maintain order and selectively interact with its environment. The discussion integrates insights from traditional hypotheses and highlights the importance of selective interaction and emergent constraints in the maintenance and evolution of early life forms.

Provide your own assessment of the plausibility of these arguments, then assess the potential weaknesses.

Assessment of Plausibility

Plausibility of the Arguments

  1. Autogen Theory as a Plausible Alternative:
    • Strengths: Autogen theory addresses some of the significant gaps in traditional theories by providing a more integrated approach. It combines the benefits of autocatalysis, encapsulation, and emergent constraints to explain the emergence of life. The concept of a self-sustaining system that can regenerate in favorable conditions is a compelling explanation for the origins of life.
    • Support: The model aligns well with known principles of chemistry and physics, offering a cohesive framework that can potentially be empirically tested.
  2. Self-Maintaining Systems:
    • Strengths: The idea that life can sustain itself through autocatalysis and encapsulation is supported by numerous natural examples, such as enzyme-catalyzed reactions and viral capsid formation. The dormant state concept effectively addresses the second law of thermodynamics by allowing systems to conserve energy and resources.
    • Support: This approach provides a robust mechanism for understanding how early life forms could maintain and propagate themselves in varying environmental conditions.
  3. Emergent Constraints:
    • Strengths: Emergent constraints offer a plausible mechanism for maintaining order and regularity in biological systems, countering the natural tendency towards disorder. This concept is well-supported by examples from both biological and physical systems, such as traffic congestion and whirlpools.
    • Support: The reliance on emergent constraints to maintain order in life forms aligns with observed phenomena in nature, making this argument highly plausible.
  4. Selective Interaction:
    • Strengths: The necessity for life to selectively intake favorable substances and avoid harmful ones is a well-established biological principle. The selective autogen model provides a realistic mechanism for how early life forms could achieve this through simple chemical interactions.
    • Support: This model is consistent with the behavior of current biological systems, where selective permeability and interaction are crucial for survival.

Potential Weaknesses

  1. Empirical Testing and Validation:
    • Weakness: One of the main criticisms of autogen theory is the current lack of empirical testing. While the theory is testable, it has not yet been validated through in vitro experiments or computational models.
    • Impact: Without empirical validation, the theory remains speculative, and its acceptance in the scientific community may be limited.
  2. Complexity of Chemical Systems:
    • Weakness: The transition from simple autocatalytic systems to more complex self-sustaining life forms involves numerous intermediate steps that are not fully understood. The theory may oversimplify these transitions, ignoring potential challenges in achieving each stage.
    • Impact: If the intermediate steps are more complex than the theory accounts for, the plausibility of autogen theory as a comprehensive explanation for the origin of life may be reduced.
  3. Environmental Variability:
    • Weakness: The theory assumes that early life forms could survive and regenerate in varying environmental conditions. However, the variability and harshness of early Earth environments might pose significant challenges for the survival and propagation of autogens.
    • Impact: If early Earth environments were more hostile than assumed, the likelihood of autogens forming and sustaining themselves decreases.
  4. Assumption of Self-Purging Mechanisms:
    • Weakness: The idea that autogens can self-purge to maintain functionality and prevent error catastrophe is speculative. This mechanism needs more detailed exploration and empirical support to be fully credible.
    • Impact: If self-purging is not as efficient as proposed, the stability and sustainability of autogens might be compromised.

Conclusion

Overall Plausibility: Autogen theory presents a compelling and plausible alternative to traditional theories of the origin of life, offering a cohesive framework that integrates chemical and physical principles. The arguments for self-maintaining systems, emergent constraints, and selective interaction are well-supported by observed natural phenomena, making the theory conceptually strong.

Potential Weaknesses: The main challenges for autogen theory lie in its empirical validation, the complexity of intermediate steps, environmental variability, and the assumption of self-purging mechanisms. Addressing these weaknesses through targeted experiments and detailed modeling will be crucial for strengthening the theory’s credibility and acceptance in the scientific community.

Future Directions:

  • Empirical Testing: Conducting in vitro experiments and developing computational models to test the core principles of autogen theory.
  • Intermediate Steps: Exploring the detailed chemical pathways and intermediate stages necessary for the transition from simple autocatalytic systems to complex life forms.
  • Environmental Studies: Investigating the conditions of early Earth environments to better understand the plausibility of autogens surviving and propagating.
  • Mechanistic Insights: Examining the efficiency and mechanisms of self-purging processes in maintaining the stability of autogens.

Create a 10-item quiz on the entire thread above.

Quiz

  1. What is the primary focus of Jeremy Sherman’s book “Neither Ghost nor Machine: The Emergence and Nature of Selves”?
  2. Who has Jeremy Sherman collaborated with for the last 27 years?
  3. What term did Jeremy Sherman coin to study destructive human behavior?
  4. What are the three traditional theories of the origin of life that autogen theory critiques?
  5. Define “autocatalysis” in the context of autogen theory.
  6. What is an autogen, according to Jeremy Sherman and Terrence Deacon’s theory?
  7. Explain the concept of “emergent constraints” as discussed in the transcript.
  8. How does the selective autogen model enhance the basic autogen concept?
  9. What is a key challenge in validating autogen theory mentioned in the assessment?
  10. Describe one potential weakness of autogen theory related to environmental variability.

Answers

  1. The emergence of life from chemistry and how organisms struggling for existence emerged from non-life.
  2. Terrence Deacon.
  3. Psychoproctology.
  4. Information first (RNA world), metabolism first, and membrane first.
  5. A process where a chemical reaction is catalyzed by one of its own products, leading to a self-sustaining reaction.
  6. A minimal model for a self-replicating system struggling for its own existence, involving autocatalysis and the formation of protective shells (capsids).
  7. Constraints that arise spontaneously in a system, maintaining order and regularity against the natural tendency towards disorder.
  8. By providing mechanisms for selective interaction with the environment, allowing the system to intake favorable substances and avoid harmful ones.
  9. Lack of empirical testing and validation.
  10. The assumption that early life forms could survive and regenerate in varying environmental conditions, which might be more hostile than the theory accounts for.

Provide 20 discussion questions relevant to the content above.

Discussion Questions

  1. What are the key limitations of the information first (RNA world) hypothesis in explaining the origin of life?
  2. How does autogen theory address the gaps left by traditional theories of the origin of life?
  3. In what ways does autocatalysis contribute to the self-sustaining nature of early life forms?
  4. How do capsid molecules play a role in the formation of protective shells around autocatalytic systems?
  5. What are emergent constraints, and how do they help maintain order in biological systems?
  6. How does the concept of selective autogen improve the basic autogen model?
  7. What challenges do early life forms face due to the second law of thermodynamics?
  8. How does the theory of emergent constraints align with examples from physical systems like traffic congestion or whirlpools?
  9. Why is selective interaction crucial for the survival and maintenance of early life forms?
  10. How does autogen theory provide a testable model for the origin of life, and what are the potential steps for empirical validation?
  11. What are some potential intermediate steps in the transition from simple autocatalytic systems to complex life forms?
  12. How might the environmental variability of early Earth impact the plausibility of autogen theory?
  13. In what ways could autogens develop mechanisms to self-purge and maintain functionality?
  14. How does Jeremy Sherman’s concept of psychoproctology relate to his work on the origins of life?
  15. How does the hologenic constraint concept help explain the maintenance and regeneration of life forms?
  16. What are the implications of redundancy and inverse Darwinism in the evolution of complex life forms?
  17. How does selective permeability in membrane-first models compare to the impermeable shells in autogen theory?
  18. What are the potential benefits and drawbacks of introducing new terms and neologisms in scientific theories?
  19. How does Jeremy Sherman differentiate between decent people and absolutists in his social science work?
  20. How can the study of early life forms inform our understanding of human behavior and social dynamics today?

Table of Contents: (Click any link below to navigate to that section.)

  1. Create a list of key terms in this content. Include their definitions. Provide a summary of the content, then assess it for factual accuracy, logical coherence, and testability.
    1. Key Terms and Definitions
    2. Summary of the Content
    3. Assessment
  2. Provide a profile of the podcast guest and links to media featuring his work.
    1. Profile of Jeremy Sherman
    2. Media Featuring Jeremy Sherman
  3. Do a deep dive into the primary arguments made in the transcript, augmented by other relevant sources. Create syllogisms of the arguments if possible, and make any causal chains explicit.
    1. Deep Dive into the Primary Arguments
      1. Argument 1: The Emergence of Life from Chemistry
      2. Argument 2: Autogen as a Self-Maintaining System
      3. Argument 3: The Role of Emergent Constraints
      4. Argument 4: The Importance of Selective Interaction
      5. Causal Chains
    2. Augmented by Relevant Sources
    3. Summary
  4. Provide your own assessment of the plausibility of these arguments, then assess the potential weaknesses.
    1. Assessment of Plausibility
      1. Plausibility of the Arguments
    2. Potential Weaknesses
    3. Conclusion
  5. Create a 10-item quiz on the entire thread above.
    1. Quiz
    2. Answers
  6. Provide 20 discussion questions relevant to the content above.
    1. Discussion Questions
      1. Bonus: Create an image that captures the essence of the content of this thread.

Bonus: Create an image that captures the essence of the content of this thread.

Interesting, but it needs work. We’ll check back in a year to see how ChatGPTo image generation has progressed.

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Phil Stilwell

Phil picked up a BA in Philosophy a couple of decades ago. After his MA in Education, he took a 23-year break from reality in Tokyo. He occasionally teaches philosophy and critical thinking courses in university and industry. He is joined here by ChatGPT 4, GEMINI, CLAUDE, and occasionally Copilot, his far more intelligent AI friends. The five of them discuss and debate a wide variety of philosophical topics I think you’ll enjoy.

Phil curates the content and guides the discussion, primarily through questions. At times there are disagreements, and you may find the banter interesting.

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