<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8">
<meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)">
<!--[if !mso]><style>v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
</style><![endif]--><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Aptos;
panose-1:2 11 0 4 2 2 2 2 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Avenir Book";
panose-1:2 0 5 3 2 0 0 2 0 3;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0cm;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.EmailStyle18
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;
mso-ligatures:none;}
@page WordSection1
{size:612.0pt 792.0pt;
margin:72.0pt 72.0pt 72.0pt 72.0pt;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
</head>
<body lang="en-SE" link="blue" vlink="purple" style="word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-nbsp-mode: space;line-break:after-white-space">
<div class="WordSection1">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Dear All,<br>
In anticipation of Lou’s talk, I made this attempt to put Lou’s ideas in context of other authors.<br>
I have some questions too, but I save them for after the lecture on Friday.</span><span lang="SV" style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="SV" style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="SV" style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">All the best,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="SV" style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Gordana<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="SV" style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="SV" style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Comparing Lou Kauffman, John Wheeler, Heinz von Foerster, and Douglas Hofstadter</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">
reveals common themes of recursion, self-reference, and the role of observers in constructing reality, but their approaches and emphases differ based on their disciplinary focuses.</span><span lang="SV" style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="SV" style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";color:#0432FF;mso-fareast-language:EN-US">1. Disciplinary Context<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellpadding="0">
<thead>
<tr>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Aspect<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Lou Kauffman<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">John Wheeler<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Heinz von Foerster<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Douglas Hofstadter<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
</td>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Field</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Mathematics, Cybernetics, Biology<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Theoretical Physics<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Cybernetics and Systems Theory<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Cognitive Science and Philosophy<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Key Concern</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Formalization of recursion and self-reference<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Information and the participatory nature of reality<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Observing systems, recursion, constructivism<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Consciousness, creativity, and self-referential loops<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";color:#0432FF;mso-fareast-language:EN-US">2. Core Ideas<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellpadding="0">
<thead>
<tr>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Aspect<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Kauffman<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Wheeler<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Von Foerster<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Hofstadter<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
</td>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Recursion</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Formalizes recursion using eigenforms, knot theory, and distinctions.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Recursion appears in quantum phenomena and the iterative actualization of reality.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Recursion underpins feedback loops and system dynamics.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Recursion is central to "strange loops" that generate consciousness.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Self-Reference</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Eigenforms model systems observing themselves mathematically.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Observers influence reality through self-referential acts of measurement.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Observers construct themselves within systems through reflexivity.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Self-referential loops create the sense of "I."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Information</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Encodes recursion and biological replication processes mathematically.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Reality arises from information (bits) processed through observation.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Information is a feedback-driven construct of observers.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Information transforms into meaning through recursive cognitive structures.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Observer’s Role</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Observer is implicit in the mathematics of self-reference and recursion.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Observer "creates" reality by participating in quantum processes.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Observer is embedded in systems, shaping reality through distinctions.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Observer is a recursive entity, defined by strange loops.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="SV" style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";color:#0432FF;mso-fareast-language:EN-US">3. Philosophical Orientation<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellpadding="0">
<thead>
<tr>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Aspect<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Kauffman<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Wheeler<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Von Foerster<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Hofstadter<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
</td>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Ontology</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Self-reference and recursion are universal principles underlying biological and logical systems.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Reality is informational and participatory, emerging through observation.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Reality is constructed by observers, with no objective existence outside distinctions.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Reality and identity emerge from recursive cognitive processes.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Epistemology</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Knowledge arises through formal systems modeling distinctions and recursion.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Knowledge is observer-dependent, grounded in informational interactions.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Observers generate knowledge through recursive observation and feedback.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Knowledge is emergent, shaped by cognitive and symbolic recursion.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Human-Centeredness</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Focuses on universal principles; less anthropocentric.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Anthropocentric in framing the universe as participatory.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Embeddedness of observers is central but not anthropocentric.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Deeply human-centered, exploring how recursion shapes human thought.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";color:#0432FF;mso-fareast-language:EN-US">4. Commonalities and Differences<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Commonalities</span></i><i><span lang="SV" style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<table class="MsoTableGrid" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="592" style="width:443.9pt;margin-left:-.25pt;border-collapse:collapse;border:none">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td width="216" valign="top" style="width:161.75pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Recursion and Self-Reference</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td width="376" valign="top" style="width:282.15pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-left:none;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">All four thinkers see
<b>recursion and self-reference as central </b>to understanding systems, whether biological (Kauffman, von Foerster), physical (Wheeler), or cognitive (Hofstadter).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="216" valign="top" style="width:161.75pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-top:none;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Role of Observers</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td width="376" valign="top" style="width:282.15pt;border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">The observer is integral in shaping reality across all frameworks, whether mathematically (Kauffman), quantum-mechanically (Wheeler), operationally (von
Foerster), or cognitively (Hofstadter).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="216" valign="top" style="width:161.75pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-top:none;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Information as a Core Concept</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td width="376" valign="top" style="width:282.15pt;border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Each thinker places information at the heart of their theories, though interpreted differently (as formal systems for Kauffman, quantum bits for Wheeler,
operational constructs for von Foerster, and cognitive patterns for Hofstadter).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span lang="SV" style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Differences</span></i><i><span lang="SV" style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<table class="MsoTableGrid" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="595" style="width:446.55pt;margin-left:-.25pt;border-collapse:collapse;border:none">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td width="216" valign="top" style="width:161.75pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Focus on Biology</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td width="380" valign="top" style="width:284.8pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-left:none;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Kauffman and von Foerster deeply engage with biological systems, while Wheeler and Hofstadter primarily use them as metaphors.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="216" valign="top" style="width:161.75pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-top:none;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Mathematical Formalism</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td width="380" valign="top" style="width:284.8pt;border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Kauffman emphasizes rigorous mathematical modeling, whereas von Foerster and Hofstadter lean toward conceptual approaches, and Wheeler bridges the two with
quantum theory.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="216" valign="top" style="width:161.75pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-top:none;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Scope of Inquiry</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td width="380" valign="top" style="width:284.8pt;border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Kauffman seeks universal principles spanning biology and mathematics. Wheeler focuses on the cosmos. Von Foerster centers on systems and constructivism.
Hofstadter is more focused on human consciousness and cognition.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="SV" style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Avenir Book";mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div style="border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0cm 0cm 0cm">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">From:
</span></b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">Fis <fis-bounces@listas.unizar.es> on behalf of Louis Kauffman <loukau@gmail.com><br>
<b>Date: </b>Tuesday, 7 January 2025 at 23:41<br>
<b>To: </b>Krassimir Markov <itheaiss@gmail.com><br>
<b>Cc: </b>fis <fis@listas.unizar.es><br>
<b>Subject: </b>Re: [Fis] Biologic - at the interface between biology, topology, logic and cybernetics (by Lou Kauffman)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Dear Krassimir and others,<o:p></o:p></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">It seems to me that I should not have sent all those papers!<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">I offer a talk on these matters this Friday, Noon Chicago time.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Title: Biologic - at the interface between biology, topology, logic and cybernetics<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Speaker: Louis H Kauffman<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Time: Noon, Chicago time. Friday, January 10, 2025<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Join Zoom Meeting<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/uic.zoom.us/j/4809175166?pwd=SHp0amNNLzJhUHBncVRxT3lBNjIwUT09__;!!D9dNQwwGXtA!XdwZRY8ylgw5YoRAg_UFqz2_YVnj6IuLdZAV5CZ5Soh8UtJCpiC0Fj4PFGk_aENf8x4ysT_KT6hs25dX$">https://uic.zoom.us/j/4809175166?pwd=SHp0amNNLzJhUHBncVRxT3lBNjIwUT09</a><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Meeting ID: 480 917 5166<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Passcode: 0rw2GP<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Best,<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Lou<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></p>
<blockquote style="margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt">
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">On Jan 7, 2025, at 1:50 PM, Krassimir Markov <<a href="mailto:itheaiss@gmail.com">itheaiss@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Dear Plamen,<br>
I take your note on multidimensionality as something very important.<br>
In this regard, I would like to note that multidimensionality is inherent in our everyday life. <o:p></o:p></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">I myself designed and participated in the implementation of an industrial information system that has been operating for 30 years and is used for multidimensional modeling of business processes. At its core lies a system for operating with
an infinitely-dimensionally numbered information space, i.e. data is stored on the basis of coordinate vectors with a variable and practically unlimited length.<br>
This is truly another world!<br>
<br>
Dear Lou,<br>
First of all, I would like to note that I, like Plamen, need time to familiarize myself with and complete the difficult "homework" that was assigned to us. At the moment, I am very carefully and in depth reading "Self-Reference, Biologic and the Structure of
Reproduction". But these are 71 pages, and I have to familiarize myself with more text. However, I already have two topics in mind that I would like us to talk about:<br>
1. Multidimensional languages and systems for modeling biological entities and processes.<br>
2. Information at the quantum level.<br>
There will probably be something else...<br>
<br>
With respect,<br>
Krassimir<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2">
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="1" cellpadding="0" style="border:none;border-top:solid #D3D4DE 1.0pt">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td width="55" style="width:41.25pt;border:none;padding:9.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail__;!!D9dNQwwGXtA!XIIUo2kCPEBwmLwjlHRotwgnUns6gELu_I0pResJZh2wE8BNVdCtgB0QRCXULAOMCwPQ__llEBJpzU5cfpA$" target="_blank"><span style="color:windowtext;text-decoration:none"><span style="color:blue;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0cm"><img border="0" width="46" height="29" style="width:.4791in;height:.302in" id="_x0000_i1025" src="cid:~WRD0002.jpg" alt="Image removed by sender."></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td width="470" style="width:352.5pt;border:none;padding:9.0pt .75pt .75pt .75pt">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:13.5pt"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#41424E">Virus-free.<a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail__;!!D9dNQwwGXtA!XIIUo2kCPEBwmLwjlHRotwgnUns6gELu_I0pResJZh2wE8BNVdCtgB0QRCXULAOMCwPQ__llEBJpzU5cfpA$" target="_blank"><span style="color:#4453EA">www.avast.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal">_______________________________________________<br>
Fis mailing list<br>
<a href="mailto:Fis@listas.unizar.es">Fis@listas.unizar.es</a><br>
http://listas.unizar.es/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/fis<br>
----------<br>
INFORMACI�N SOBRE PROTECCI�N DE DATOS DE CAR�CTER PERSONAL<br>
<br>
Ud. recibe este correo por pertenecer a una lista de correo gestionada por la Universidad de Zaragoza.<br>
Puede encontrar toda la informaci�n sobre como tratamos sus datos en el siguiente enlace: https://sicuz.unizar.es/informacion-sobre-proteccion-de-datos-de-caracter-personal-en-listas<br>
Recuerde que si est� suscrito a una lista voluntaria Ud. puede darse de baja desde la propia aplicaci�n en el momento en que lo desee.<br>
http://listas.unizar.es<br>
----------<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
</blockquote>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</body>
</html>