16
Part II: EGBChapter 16
Self-Ref and Self-Rep
DNA replication and self-referential sentences. Quines.
How does a system replicate itself? We look at the isomorphism between a self-printing computer program (a Quine) and the biological process of DNA replication. Both involve a 'program' that can be treated as both code (instructions to execute) and data (a template to copy). This duality is the key to self-reproduction and self-reference.
Central Dogma Visualizer
DNA
RNA
PROT
"Self-reference is the infinite richness of the loop between the message and the decoder."