7.B. Odds and Ends II

Location

Student Union 323-B

Start Date

9-3-2022 9:00 AM

End Date

9-3-2022 10:30 AM

Description

  1. The New N=1 problem / Carlos Mariscal
    Due to its shared origin, all life on Earth is regarded as a single phenomenon, meaning our sample size (N) of the category ‘life’ is 1, or N=1. This raises a problem, called the N=1 Problem, about whether any features of Life on Earth can be justifiably said to hold among other instances of life in the Universe. Often, those that take the N=1 Problem seriously accept that life is a natural kind and science can discover its properties. The debate over those properties in the form of the N=1 Problem is a serious issue for anyone interested in discovering new examples of life or contemplating its nature.
    In this presentation, I present the New N=1 Problem. This riddle holds that there are an indefinite number of broader categories to which any single example belongs. Some of these categories may be natural kinds, but none are non-controversially equivalent to the life category itself. Thus, Life on Earth provides equal evidence for the features of evolving systems, far- from-equilibrium systems, squishy things, and so on. It only provides evidence for the category ‘life’ if one accepts the additional step that one of those categories is equivalent to the life category. The logic of this problem also applies to any sui generis phenomenon that is (or is thought to be) an instance of a broader category, including the Universe and history itself. No creation nor discovery of a lifelike phenomenon will resolve this riddle.”
  2. Ethics of astrobiology biobanks / Paolo Bonvicini
    Astrobiology, a branch of life sciences evolving from exobiology, is concerned with the study of the origin and evolution of life on Earth and the possible variety of life elsewhere. The multidisciplinary nature of Astrobiology allows the creation of a plurality of connections between different disciplines sharing the goal of understanding the identity of life and its manifestations, from genetics to society development.
    Biobanking is a relatively new field of study, proportionally rising in terms of complexity and representing the union of biology, management and policy making with the aim of governing biobanks, described as repositories of biological specimen (human, animal, plants…) and related data. Biobanks are essential tools for biology, pathology, pharmacology research and overall public health betterment.
    Astrobiology and biobanking are conceptually and practically linked by the reconfiguration of the living3. Repositories such as NASA Ames Biobank conserving specimen collected during human space missions, are working to serve humankind through preservation and distribution of biospecimen and related data4. Astrobiology biobanks are fundamental to further science education, to collect and manage both terrestrial and extraterrestrial specimen and complex data, to enable research about the origin of life, life elsewhere in the universe and technological developments to better understand deep space effects on human body. Highest ethical and moral standards about ownership, rights and responsibilities to facilitate transparent access to biospecimen and data collection, storage and distribution are essential towards equity-based humankind public health enhancement on earth and beyond it.
  3. Blockchains in Space: Non-Euclidean Spacetime and Tokenized Thinking / Melanie Swan
    Two requirements for the large-scale beyond-terrestrial expansion of human intelligence into the universe are the ability to operate in diverse spatiotemporal regimes and instantiate thinking in various formats. Newtonian mechanics describe everyday reality, but Einsteinian physics is needed for GPS and the orbital technologies of telescopes and spacecraft. Space agencies already integrate the Earth-day and the slightly-longer Martian-sol. A more substantial move into space requires facility with non-Euclidean spacetimes. One challenge is that general relativity and quantum mechanics are non-interoperable. However, the theories can be formulated together when considering black holes and quantum computing since geometric theories and gauge theories are both field-based. Quantum blockchains instantiate blockchain logic in quantum computational environments. Blockchains have their own temporal regime (blocktime: the number of blocks for an event to occur), and hence quantum blocktime is a non-classical functionality for operating in diverse spatiotemporal regimes. Thinking is a rule-based activity that is unrestricted by medium. Central to thinking is concepts, which are referenced by words.
    Word-types include universals, particulars, and indexicals that can be encoded into a formal system as thought-tokens, and registered to blockchains. Blockchains are contemplated as an automation technology for asteroid mining and space settlement build-out, and thought-tokening adds an intelligence layer. Time and tokenized thinking come together in the idea of smart networks in space. In blockchain quantum smart networks, spatiotemporal regimes and thought- tokens are simply different value types (asset classes) coordinated with blockchain logic, towards the aim of extending human capabilities into the farther reaches of space.

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Mar 9th, 9:00 AM Mar 9th, 10:30 AM

7.B. Odds and Ends II

Student Union 323-B

  1. The New N=1 problem / Carlos Mariscal
    Due to its shared origin, all life on Earth is regarded as a single phenomenon, meaning our sample size (N) of the category ‘life’ is 1, or N=1. This raises a problem, called the N=1 Problem, about whether any features of Life on Earth can be justifiably said to hold among other instances of life in the Universe. Often, those that take the N=1 Problem seriously accept that life is a natural kind and science can discover its properties. The debate over those properties in the form of the N=1 Problem is a serious issue for anyone interested in discovering new examples of life or contemplating its nature.
    In this presentation, I present the New N=1 Problem. This riddle holds that there are an indefinite number of broader categories to which any single example belongs. Some of these categories may be natural kinds, but none are non-controversially equivalent to the life category itself. Thus, Life on Earth provides equal evidence for the features of evolving systems, far- from-equilibrium systems, squishy things, and so on. It only provides evidence for the category ‘life’ if one accepts the additional step that one of those categories is equivalent to the life category. The logic of this problem also applies to any sui generis phenomenon that is (or is thought to be) an instance of a broader category, including the Universe and history itself. No creation nor discovery of a lifelike phenomenon will resolve this riddle.”
  2. Ethics of astrobiology biobanks / Paolo Bonvicini
    Astrobiology, a branch of life sciences evolving from exobiology, is concerned with the study of the origin and evolution of life on Earth and the possible variety of life elsewhere. The multidisciplinary nature of Astrobiology allows the creation of a plurality of connections between different disciplines sharing the goal of understanding the identity of life and its manifestations, from genetics to society development.
    Biobanking is a relatively new field of study, proportionally rising in terms of complexity and representing the union of biology, management and policy making with the aim of governing biobanks, described as repositories of biological specimen (human, animal, plants…) and related data. Biobanks are essential tools for biology, pathology, pharmacology research and overall public health betterment.
    Astrobiology and biobanking are conceptually and practically linked by the reconfiguration of the living3. Repositories such as NASA Ames Biobank conserving specimen collected during human space missions, are working to serve humankind through preservation and distribution of biospecimen and related data4. Astrobiology biobanks are fundamental to further science education, to collect and manage both terrestrial and extraterrestrial specimen and complex data, to enable research about the origin of life, life elsewhere in the universe and technological developments to better understand deep space effects on human body. Highest ethical and moral standards about ownership, rights and responsibilities to facilitate transparent access to biospecimen and data collection, storage and distribution are essential towards equity-based humankind public health enhancement on earth and beyond it.
  3. Blockchains in Space: Non-Euclidean Spacetime and Tokenized Thinking / Melanie Swan
    Two requirements for the large-scale beyond-terrestrial expansion of human intelligence into the universe are the ability to operate in diverse spatiotemporal regimes and instantiate thinking in various formats. Newtonian mechanics describe everyday reality, but Einsteinian physics is needed for GPS and the orbital technologies of telescopes and spacecraft. Space agencies already integrate the Earth-day and the slightly-longer Martian-sol. A more substantial move into space requires facility with non-Euclidean spacetimes. One challenge is that general relativity and quantum mechanics are non-interoperable. However, the theories can be formulated together when considering black holes and quantum computing since geometric theories and gauge theories are both field-based. Quantum blockchains instantiate blockchain logic in quantum computational environments. Blockchains have their own temporal regime (blocktime: the number of blocks for an event to occur), and hence quantum blocktime is a non-classical functionality for operating in diverse spatiotemporal regimes. Thinking is a rule-based activity that is unrestricted by medium. Central to thinking is concepts, which are referenced by words.
    Word-types include universals, particulars, and indexicals that can be encoded into a formal system as thought-tokens, and registered to blockchains. Blockchains are contemplated as an automation technology for asteroid mining and space settlement build-out, and thought-tokening adds an intelligence layer. Time and tokenized thinking come together in the idea of smart networks in space. In blockchain quantum smart networks, spatiotemporal regimes and thought- tokens are simply different value types (asset classes) coordinated with blockchain logic, towards the aim of extending human capabilities into the farther reaches of space.