Abstract
A synthetic generic model is proposed for the emergence and possible evolution toward complexity and autonomy, for natural self-organizing systems far from equilibrium. The high degree of generality of the model is essentially due to two reasons. The first is the use of an extension of the standard physicalist positivist epistemology: instead of considering the "ultimate reality" as made up of stock and fluxes of matter and energy ("cm-g-sec world"), we consider two irreducible, non-separable and equally important primordial categories: objects (of which energy-matter is a manifestation) and relations (of which information is a manifestation) whose combination gives rise to the existing totality (whole). The second basis of our model is a dual principle governing change in nature: the first part of this principle is the general trend of the physical objects toward the more probable, which is formalized by the spontaneous increase of entropy of isolated systems; the second part is the existence of a relation obstacle to this trend, which is circular causality, that is operational closure and self-reference.
From these foundations, we obtain a metamodel consisting of three patterns describing the dynamic of natural systems: 1) A spiral pattern for the four recurrent phases of self-organization (morphogenesis leading to complexity). 2) A helix pattern for the long term evolution toward autonomy. 3) A pattern formed by the six cycles which describing the functioning of viable systems.
This contribution ends with the application of the six cycles pattern to the human being and to a cognitive system. This last example gives an opportunity to clarify the interpretation of the words: brain, mind, thought, consciousness.
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