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To reflect on the matter of self‐consciousness.

The purpose is achieved through the process of answering four questions presented to me by Heinz von Foerster in the course of our many conversations.

It is not possible to understand the nature of self‐consciousness without understanding the operation of human beings as living systems that exist as emotional languaging living systems: self‐consciousness is a manner of living.

We human beings can become more aware of our responsibility in the design of robots that imitate us.

Reflects on what makes us humans special, on subjective experience, and on the world we bring forth.

In this paper, the organism model for knowledge‐based enterprise is proposed. A dynamic capacity grey set is defined and analyzed based on the definition of the growth and development for knowledge‐based enterprise organism. The structure of the capacity whiten core, a subset of the capacity grey set, is optimized for different periods of the organism's life cycle. The organism grey topological structure model of knowledge‐based enterprise is described to possess the essential capacity grey set.

A new approach to living organisms with irreversibly perturbed homeostatis, based on the integrated moving average IMA (0,1,1) and autoregressive‐integrated moving average ARIMA (1,2,1) linear stochastic models of non‐stationary photon emission processes, is proposed. The approach consists of introducing a stochastic formulation of the transfer function and memory functional into a general description of non‐equilibrium states of perturbed organisms. A memory function‐based quantitative measure of perturbed biohomeostasis has also been proposed and discussed.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the association between information and boundaries. Life depends on boundaries; but in order to survive an organism needs to make decisions based on an interpretation of the environment beyond its boundaries: it therefore needs information.

The paper explores the evolution of physical, social and cultural boundaries and considers how they have shaped ways in which information is gathered and used.

Several evolutionary developments are reviewed. The paper argues that each one has generated an additional boundary and that each new boundary has affected the information needs within it. The paper argues that all living things use information to help address three fundamental concerns: “Where can the energy needed to stay alive be found?”, “How can it be stored?”, and “How can use of energy be reduced?” Because these questions are fundamental at a biological level they are also fundamental at a societal level. One way to increase energy efficiency was for organisms to grow larger. This brought risks which were alleviated by the evolution of better information gathering and processing tools. Amongst these tools were the means to communicate, which afforded the evolution of social boundaries.

This is a new perspective on a topic of growing interest in information science and demonstrates further the significance of information as a factor in the shaping of life.

To explore an idea that has been articulated and defended by a number of influential deep ecologists, namely, the idea that all living organisms or species should be valued equally, or regarded as possessing equal intrinsic value.

Examination of some of the key works of deep ecological theorists.

Despite its initial attractiveness as an expression of respect for all living things, there is something fundamentally paradoxical about the deep ecological position that has come to be known as biocentric egalitarianism.

What is presented here is partial and does not cover all of the deep ecological thinking.

Offers some initial lines of exploration for scholars interested in the problems with this core deep ecological notion of biocentric egalitarianism/respect for all living things.

Offers a new account of non-egalitarian biocentrism

Modern organic metaphors for society have run parallel to the very idea of sociology as a science, starting with Comte and Spencer's use of the term “social organism” (Comte, 1830–42; Spencer, 1897). These metaphors provide a self-renewing source of debate, analogies, and disanalogies. Processes of social regulation, conservation, growth, and reproduction provoke an irresistible epistemic resonance and make us lose little time in offering explanations resembling those of biological regulation, conservation, growth, and reproduction. The phenomenon has not been restricted to metaphor-hungry social scientists: the final chapter of W. B. Cannon's The wisdom of the body (1932) is called “Relations of biological and social homeostasis.” Attempts to apply a modern theory of living organisms — the theory of autopoiesis (Maturana & Varela, 1980) — to social systems are but the latest installment in this saga. Despite the appeal of the organic metaphor, there are good reasons to remain skeptical of these parallels. “Because every man is a biped, fifty men are not a centipede,” says G. K. Chesterton (1910) ironically in his essay against the medical fallacy. Doctors may disagree on the diagnosis of an illness, he says, but they know what is the state they are trying to restore: that of a healthy organism (implying, admittedly, a rather unproblematic concept of health). In social systems, a “social illness” confronts us with precisely the opposite situation: the disagreement is about what the healthy state should be.

The title of this book suggests the possibility that new ways of managing innovative processes may favour an evolution of the economy towards an altruistic model. This chapter argues that the acceleration of innovative processes at the turn of the millennium has produced, or at least has not avoided, phenomena of the concentration of wealth and power in which it is difficult to discern an altruistic root. It is observed that the cultural models developed to interpret innovative phenomena are also focused on the profit of individual companies and not on altruistic values. The author goes on to indicate the appropriateness of referring to less limited phenomenological models and suggests exploring an analogy of innovation with Darwinian evolution. An outline of this approach is provided.

Discusses the efficiency of a cybernetic approach to non‐oscillatory luminescence processes, generated by perturbed biosystems, and applies it to oscillatory luminescence processes. Constructs multiplicative stochastic models of oscillatory bio‐ and chemiluminescence processes, generated by some perturbed/stimulated biosystems (a temperature‐stimulated soybean root system, light‐stimulated microporocytes of larch, antiviral drug‐treated vero cells infected by Herpes simplex virus). Determines a correlation structure for these models by analysing their transfer functions. Uses the memory function approach to compare and contrast the oscillatory processes with their non‐oscillatory analogs. Formulates a hypothesis about the dependence between the persistence and the oscillatory behaviour of biosystems and proposes stochastic perturbation measures founded on those multiplicative models.

Seeks to answer the question “whose interests are being served by the laws of purporting to regulate genetically modified organisms?“ Considers the interests of the seed/chemical multinational companies, trade and investment for the countries in which these companies operate and the innovation of science and technology. Covers the European interests with regards to the single internal market and the conflict this can cause between economic and environmental/health interests. Looks at the issues from the US perspective and world trade. Continues by covering nature and the environment followed by health and safety and the rights of consumers. Assesses the regulations of the European community in order to find what protection is available.

The purpose of this paper is to conceptualize and classify sources, manifestations and implications of environmental degradation.

First, the typological analysis is used to conceptualize environmental degradation and its components. Then, the concepts are disaggregated into some dimensions organized in row-and-column variables and a cross-tabulated matrix is constructed. Finally, different types of environmental degradation are identified, labeled and discussed.

The study distinguishes between two types of degradation as pollution and deterioration and accordingly identifies ten types (five pairs) of environmental degradation. Furthermore, the paper presents a conceptual framework and offers insights into the dynamic interchange between the causes and effects of environmental degradation.

The originality/value of this study resides in reducing the ambiguities associated with the concept of environmental degradation and offering a multidimensional framework that can be used in empirical research to organize propositions, test hypotheses, analyze data and construct indexes.