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The Nature of Stability in Replicating Systems

Nathaniel Wagner, Addy Pross

We review the concept of dynamic kinetic stability, a type of stability associated specifically with replicating entities, and show how it differs from the well-known and established (static) kinetic and thermodynamic stabilities associated with regular chemical systems. In the process we demonstrate how the concept can help bridge the conceptual chasm that continues to separate the physical and biological sciences by relating the nature of stability in the animate and inanimate worlds, and by providing additional insights into the physicochemical nature of abiogenesis.

Publication language English
Pages 518-527
Volume 13
Issue number 2
Publication status Published - 01.02.2011

Keywords

Complexity
Equilibrium
Kinetic stability
Life
Steady state
Teleonomy
Thermodynamic stability

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Information Systems
Mathematical Physics
Physics and Astronomy (miscellaneous)
Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Access to Document
10.3390/e13020518
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Link to publication in Scopus