In this text I introduce a concept that I created in 1998, called Sistemic Funcional Level, which today is closely related to the new Law of Increase in Functional Information.
Introduction
In 2023, nine scientists in the United States, led by American astrobiologist and planetary scientist Michael Wong of the Earth and Planets Laboratory at the Carnegie Institution for Science in Washington, D.C., published a new theory called the Law of Increase in Functional Information. This law of nature describes the evolution not only of living organisms but of all complex systems in the universe. It states that evolution occurs when a system, whether living or nonliving (such as minerals or stars), undergoes a process of "selection for function." This means that, among countless possible configurations, those that are more stable and perform a function better (such as persistence, replication, or generation of novelty) tend to perpetuate. This "selection" leads to an increase in functional information—a concept that measures the difficulty of achieving a configuration of a system that performs a given function. The result is evolution toward states of greater standardization, diversity, and complexity. In 1998, I wrote a book entitled "Systems and the Origin of Life," [with the link in the reference] registered with the National Library of Rio de Janeiro (RJ), but unpublished. It describes various disciplines and topics in the materialist understanding of the emergence of life, and I coined the term "Systemic Functional Level," which fits perfectly with Wong's theory. In this text, I describe the theory and my term, connecting them.
Part I
The law of increasing functional information (LIFI) is a relatively new scientific proposal that seeks to describe a universal tendency observed in complex systems, both biological and non-biological, to increase their functional information and complexity over time.
In simpler terms, it suggests that in systems that meet three specific criteria, the information that allows them to perform a function or serve a purpose tends to grow and become more elaborate.
Let's break down the main points:
The three criteria for evolutionary systems (according to LIFI).
For a system to be considered "evolvable" and therefore subject to LIFI, it must exhibit:
Numerous components and configurations: The system must be composed of many parts that can be organized in a vast number of different ways. Think of atoms that form molecules, or cells that form tissues, or even lines of code that form a program.
Continuous generation of new configurations: The system must have processes that constantly generate new combinations and arrangements of these components. In biology, this would be mutation and genetic recombination. In other systems, it might be the exploration of new possibilities.
Function-based selection: There must be a mechanism by which configurations that fulfill a given function most effectively (or are most stable) tend to be preserved or replicated, while less functional ones are discarded. In biology, this is natural selection. In other contexts, it might be the selection of more durable materials or more efficient designs.
What is "functional information"?
It is information related to a specific function or purpose of the system. It is not just the amount of information itself (which could increase in the form of disorder, as in the second law of thermodynamics), but rather the information that is useful and meaningful to the system's performance.
For example:
1) In a living organism, functional information is found in the DNA that encodes proteins essential for survival.
2) In a mineral, functional information may be found in its crystalline structure, which gives it certain physical properties.
3) In a technological system, it would be the code or design that allows it to perform its task.
How does LIFI relate to other laws?
LIFI is seen as a complement to the second law of thermodynamics. While the second law states that the entropy (disorder) of an isolated system tends to increase over time, LIFI suggests that, in specific systems (those that meet the three criteria above), organized functional information can also increase.
In essence, LIFI proposes that, even in a universe where overall disorder increases, there is an intrinsic tendency for the emergence and enhancement of complexity and functionality in systems that can "evolve" through variation and selection. It seeks to provide a framework for understanding how complexity arose and continues to emerge throughout the universe, from the formation of stars and minerals to the evolution of life.
It is important to note that, as a relatively new concept (proposed by researchers such as Michael L. Wong and his colleagues), LIFI is still being widely discussed and tested by the scientific community.
Part II
Systemic Functional Level (between double quotes).
First, I'll illustrate two distinct systemic situations:
""... I intend to present the main idea for our discussions, which will initially be a very simple example, although not from physics, chemistry, or biology, and then return directly to natural issues. Imagine a small company where people work on tasks as common to this type of system as registering incoming goods, sales, billing, product deliveries etc. Five people efficiently perform all the work, each working eight hours a day. The arrival of a computer could pose a threat to employees' jobs, as performing routine tasks more quickly frees up some of these people's time. But management prefers to channel this extra time to help employees grow the company. They would be used in new roles aimed at increasing revenue, and new tasks appear as new to them: one employee would transition from bureaucrat to salesperson, another would help their boss meet new sales targets as the volume of merchandise increases. And the time spent managing the flow of these goods, even using a computer, may increase, as the quantity of goods has grown at a disproportionate rate to what was expected, requiring more work from a third employee.
Company growth becomes viable when the flow of information increases along with the flow of goods and the main objective of a system of this nature: money. There's no denying that more is involved in situations like this, such as good management, a vision for new businesses, etc., but the basic idea of increasing the quantity of information and the flow of goods proves to be very important, as this system underwent a phase transition, so to speak, from a lower to a higher level of functioning. An element was introduced, the computer, which, by processing the information necessary to increase the company's productivity faster and with better quality, helped it grow. I say "increased quality" in the sense of seeking essential alternatives for such an enterprise, previously impossible for employees and managers. [This excerpt was an experience I had when the owner of the company I worked for placed a computer in my hands in a successful attempt to access information, he himself had not yet learned. I found statistics about the company, performing tasks unknown to the owner, even though he had been at the helm of the company for fifteen years.]
In chemistry, if a substance we call A reacts with B for a given reaction within a suspended membrane, and C is the product of this reaction, we can say that the membrane constantly selects the environment, because, among hundreds or thousands of other substances, only a few will be accepted. Eliminating C, by recognizing it as "something unimportant," will prevent a perhaps undesirable accumulation of this substance within the system. Besides possessing energy, as it is present in any chemical reaction, we also observe a process, albeit very simple, of information.
Another membrane may allow a greater number of molecules or atoms to enter. Imagine three substances like those mentioned above, A, B, and C, and in which another, D, penetrates the membrane, disrupting the ongoing reaction. The system may be destroyed, at least in terms of the reaction, but the presence of a fifth substance, say, E, binds to A, not harming it and forming a subsystem that limits the action of D. The fact that they couple and react, in any case, demonstrates affinity, recognition, and exchange of information. So, in terms of matter, information, and energy, this small system has moved from one level to another, now superior in terms of these three variables.
I will speak of the systemic functional level, bearing in mind that the system operates with matter, energy, and information present in quantities that can be measured, or at least compared with any other system. With this term, I intend to create a new concept, helping to satisfactorily explain some facts related to various systems regarding their ways of "functioning." It is the functioning of the system itself, encompassing a certain measure of these variables, which I will call the functional level. It would be the set of them, a parameter by which the structure of the whole, with its functioning, could be evaluated.
In simple systems like those described above, the number of states of any set of variables, if considered in relation to unitary particles like atoms, is enormous and impossible to measure. Only their positions, continually changing within the membrane, would be the subject of statistics rather than deterministic systems. But what matters to us is the reception of matter from outside, the reaction with one or perhaps more substances, and the subsequent elimination of the byproduct. This can, in fact, be conceptualized at the systemic functional level, or functional level, making this system a factory for a given substance.
Things then occurred in our examples in such a way that the functional level of the system was able to increase, also increasing its quantity of organized matter. No fantasy or trick of nature: nature, through the laws of physics and chemistry, acts on its own in this way. The membrane itself possessed, before forming and closing, a certain amount of energy and information trapped by the binding forces between its molecules, or atoms, if it were composed of them. Note also that the system was in dynamic equilibrium before the arrival of substance D and remained so after the presence of E. First, equilibrium meant, in simple terms, the set of states the system went through regarding the reaction of A with B, the production of C, and its subsequent elimination or exit. Soon after, it meant the reaction of A with B, the entry of E, the entry of D, the production of C, and subsequent elimination or exit. This sequence entails a degree of arbitrariness, as we could, for example, have the entry of D before E, the latter, if not delayed, saving the system's functioning. The functional level then increased, taking the system to another point or set of states where equilibrium was reestablished. It is worth noting that equilibrium meant the survival of the system in the face of a harmful substance already present in the surrounding environment or that arose due to changes in the environment.
Now consider an intrusive molecule capable of synthesizing other molecules. It and its byproducts may or may not adapt to the system. Many possibilities can arise production of substances that would increase the system's functional level through chemical reactions or couplings, disintegration of part of the system with subsequent replacement of components, etc. This molecule could even be capable of forming a membrane, without needing a "host," and from there begin an autonomous "life" cycle. The basic idea is to increase the functional level, even starting from a single molecule, when dealing with organic compounds.
The systemic functional level reveals whether a system contains a lot of information in a small amount of matter and energy, a lot of energy but little transport of matter and information processing, etc.
Our brain has a mass of around 1,300 grams and an electrical power of approximately 25 watts, not even enough for a light bulb to illuminate a room or a single room in a house. Even if we combined several computer processors to achieve this mass and a much greater amount of electrical energy, we wouldn't achieve information processing as refined as our minds. Calculation speed is faster even on older computers, but our brain is capable of feats never achieved by any machine. Intuition, imagination, abstract and conceptual reasoning, etc., make it unparalleled in technology and nature. Its systemic activity is high in information, the highest in existence, due to these complex thought mechanisms. Let's say that the weight of information processing in this case is greater than the energy and matter. A computer weighing tens of kilograms and using electrical currents capable of electrocuting a person doesn't have a functional level like that of the brain.
These cellular systems I've been describing involve chemical reactions that are important for maintaining the whole, the system itself. The functional level increases with the entry and coupling of molecules, groups of molecules, possible reactions, atoms or ions, etc. If the whole is brought to functioning levels where equilibrium exists, it will remain as such. This is where the transition between levels of matter's organization occurs, where we also need chemistry above physics, and biology above chemistry, to study the phenomena resulting from this escalation of nature's organization.
Can we think of feedback as a functional level? As we've seen, it only exists if energy and information are present, under special conditions, of course. It is nothing more than an uninterrupted set of information transmissions for the system to adapt to a specific purpose. The system of a piston in a container with a certain liquid requires less energy and information than that of a shooter using his vision, brain, and muscles. Feedback, so necessary for the maintenance of life, as it is maintained through regulation and control mechanisms, manifests itself in many forms and quantities in the vital mechanisms, and thus we can speak of feedback at a functional level for any living being.
P.S.: To better visualize the systemic functional level, imagine a formula in which the three variables or parameters—mass, energy, and information—are multiplied by each other. [It could be different].
It is a measure of the structure and functioning of a system, based on the amount of matter, energy, and functional information within it.
I define it as the very functioning of a system, which encompasses a possible measurement of the variables of matter, energy, and functional information. Functional information is information that is useful and meaningful to the system's performance.
It serves as a parameter for evaluating the structure and functioning of the system. It is a satisfactory way to explain how different systems work.
The central idea is that a system can increase its functional level when there is an increase in the quantity and flow of matter, energy, and functional information, leading it to a "phase transition" from a lower to a higher plane of functioning.
The systemic functional level reveals the proportion and interaction between matter, energy, and functional information within a system, indicating its capacity to operate and evolve. A notable example is the human brain, which, despite its small mass and low electrical power, demonstrates an extremely high systemic functional level due to its complex information processing.
Finally, it tends to increase in many complex systems, and, with respect to living beings, it has increased in various branches of the tree of life, but ultimately, and to this day, has reached different "sizes" for all species. The pinnacle was human beings.
I will give an example from biology because it will be easier to understand. Let's remember dinosaurs because many of them had very small brains. Tyrannosaurus Rex had a brain mass of around 300 to 350 grams.
Imagine comparing the mass and energy expended by a brontosaurus in a day with that of a human. Multiply the two for each of them: the amount obtained for the brontosaurus is much greater, but when multiplied by the amount of information, memory, processing, etc., we arrive at a much higher value. In fact, compared to any other animal. The brontosaurus had a mass of 20 to 30 tons, and its brain was the size of a walnut! You wouldn't expect much information and processing from such a brain, beyond managing such a large and heavy body.
Someone might mention whales, whose brain mass, energy expenditure, and body mass are greater than ours. But, at our level, the quality of information processing is higher. We are more intelligent than them. [the "weight," in the formula, of the information stored and processed in our brains would be greater].
Could it be that there has been an increase in functional information reaching us humans at the highest point of systemic functional level among all living beings?
Yes!""
My "Yes!" should ultimately be understood as the systemic functional level not growing linearly from the carbon compounds of early Earth, from prebiotic systems to living beings, but rather as the very complexity of all of them. It has no defined direction.
Atoms, ions, molecules, etc. formed RNA and DNA, which took over the synthesis of molecules, preserving the individual itself. This is where the new concept of the law of increasing functional information really comes into play. But remember: from the first carbon compounds on the planet, there were, at certain points, until the emergence of life, prebiotic systems more likely to reach this point, [with the increase in systemic functional level] without any direction, and perhaps many were nothing more than something like a "quasi-life" system.
Various forms of membranes also formed, permeable to different chemical compounds, ions, atoms, and molecules, reacting with each other within them and, in many cases, forming organelles, restructuring the membrane itself, etc., increasing the systemic functional level. A major challenge for scientists concerned with the origins of life would be the fusion of RNA and DNA not only within membranes but also becoming the controllers of the very life that surrounds them. Replicable molecules may even present themselves in various forms, reaching, on prebiotic Earth, RNA and DNA.
Conjecturing, could the increase in functional information also increase the systemic functional level? Everything indicates that it does. For example, in animals with many neurons, such as mammals, part of the brain acts as a body controller, receiving a wealth of information from various body regions and sending responses to maintain the system's homeostasis, as the Portuguese American neuroscientist António Damásio explains so well in his books. Individuals with specific brain regions in this sense have survived throughout evolutionary history, summarizing these facts.
As a system's functional information increases or decreases, do variations in the systemic functional level occur? I believe so, as stated above. Note how the concept of systemic functional level satisfies items 1, 2, and 3 of the section "What is 'functional information?'" on page two.
With everything explained so far, I conclude this text. I leave it to readers or scientists to evaluate this term I created, considering the increasing or decreasing complexity of systems, depending on their nature and properties.
References
Pinto, A. A. ([original in 1998]. 2019, August 29). Systems and the Origin of Life. https://argosarrudapinto.blogspot.com/2019/08/sistemas-e-origem-da-vida_29.html .
Wong, Michael L. et al. "On the roles of function and selection in evolving systems." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, v. 120, n. 43, e2310223120, 2023.
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