Computer simulations without simulative programs in executable cell biology. Hypothesis discovery and justification

Journal title PARADIGMI
Author/s Nicola Angius
Publishing Year 2016 Issue 2015/3
Language English Pages 16 P. 67-82 File size 118 KB
DOI 10.3280/PARA2015-003005
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L’applicazione dei metodi formali per l’analisi di programmi reattivi che simulano i comportamenti di sistemi cellulari in biologia computazionale è presa in esame per gettare nuova luce sugli approcci simulativi in Intelligenza Artificiale e Vita Artificiale. In primo luogo, si sottolinea come i programmi che simulano i comportamenti di molti sistemi reattivi cellulari sono più proficuamente esaminati per mezzo di modelli eseguibili delle esecuzioni del programma simulativo. Tali modelli risultano essere rappresentazioni sia del programma simulativo che del sistema cellulare simulato. In secondo luogo, si evidenzia come i processi di scoperta di comportamenti di interesse del sistema simulato vengano effettuati attraverso verifiche algoritmiche condotte sul modello formale che rappresenta i fenomeni biologici di studio. Infine, un tratto metodologico distintivo dell’attuale biologia computazionale viene riconosciuto nel fatto che le ipotesi avanzate sulla base di modelli eseguibili non sono confermate o falsificate testando il programma simulativo, il quale non viene nemmeno codificato, ma effettuando esperimenti in vitro finalizzati ad osservare i comportamenti del sistema naturale corrispondenti ai percorsi del modello che soddisfano o violano le ipotesi in corso di valutazione

Keywords: Artificial life, Computer simulation, Executable biology, Model-Based reasoning, Model checking, Philosophy of computer science

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  • Explaining Engineered Computing Systems’ Behaviour: the Role of Abstraction and Idealization Nicola Angius, Guglielmo Tamburrini, in Philosophy & Technology /2017 pp.239
    DOI: 10.1007/s13347-016-0235-1

Nicola Angius, Computer simulations without simulative programs in executable cell biology. Hypothesis discovery and justification in "PARADIGMI" 3/2015, pp 67-82, DOI: 10.3280/PARA2015-003005