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Philip Ball - How Life Works
Machine Learning Street Talk (MLST)
The Agency of Living Organisms and the Purpose of the Universe
Living organisms are distinguished by their agency, the ability to control themselves and their environment to achieve goals. Life is inherently goal-directed, with organisms having purposes and striving to achieve them. The concept of agency delves into how organisms develop and pursue goals. While the universe as a whole may not exhibit purpose or design, certain parts like living beings clearly demonstrate goals and purposes, raising the question of how these entities, made of atoms, acquire the capacity for agency, goals, and meaning. The fundamental mystery lies in understanding how some elements of the universe possess agency, despite the lack of apparent purpose at the universal level.
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