Autopoiesis

What is the main problem with using inspiring notions like autopoiesis in different domains?

• They can be confusing and hide fundamental processes

• They are not applicable in different domains

• They are not well-defined concepts

• They are only applicable to social systems

According to the authors, what is the risk of treating social systems as autopoeitic systems?

• It ignores the importance of individual choices in human interaction

• It confuses the concept of autopoiesis

• It excludes people from social systems

• It hides fundamental processes in social systems

How did Maturana and Varela define a living system?

• A system that maintains its individual identity

• A system that has specific properties

• A system that produces components necessary for its operation

• A system that interacts with its environment

What is the advantage of defining a living system using a single exclusive property?

• It simplifies the detection of life in other environments

• It allows for multiple interpretations of the concept

• It includes non-living systems in the definition

• It provides a more complex understanding of life

What is the proposed definition of autopoiesis in molecular terms?

• A network of processes that produce components necessary for maintaining the system

• A network of chemical reactions that produce molecules

• A network of physical processes that generate energy

• A network of interactions between molecules

According to the original definition of autopoiesis, what is one of the requirements for a system to be considered autopoietic?

• The system must produce all the components of the network

• The system must produce a subset of the components of the network

• The system must produce only enzymes or catalysts

• The system must produce its own membrane

Why is the interpretation that a system must produce all its components (X = Y) considered unacceptable?

• Because it contradicts the concept of systems being open

• Because it contradicts the concept of systems requiring coenzymes and cofactors from the environment

• Because it excludes systems that undergo qualitative changes over time

• All of the above

What is the problem with interpreting the subset of components (Y) as only enzymes or catalysts?

• Coenzymes and cofactors cannot be considered as catalysts

• The distinction between enzymes and metabolites is arbitrary and unnecessary

• Membranes cannot be considered as catalysts

• All of the above

Why is the production of the membrane from the interior of the system considered essential in some interpretations of autopoiesis?

• Because it ensures the system remains closed

• Because it allows the system to produce all its components internally

• Because it defines the boundary of the system

• Because it prevents the system from relying on external resources

What is the main conclusion regarding the concept of autopoiesis?

• The production of all components is necessary for a system to be considered autopoietic

• The production of enzymes or catalysts is necessary for a system to be considered autopoietic

• The production of the membrane from the interior of the system is necessary for a system to be considered autopoietic

• The production of a subset of components is necessary for a system to be considered autopoietic