Can The Human Body Be Expressed Mathematically?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion explores the possibility of mathematically expressing the human body, including its molecular and cellular functions. Participants consider the challenges of modeling living systems and the implications of such mathematical representations in various contexts, including potential applications in algorithmic-based clinical trials.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants question whether the human body can be expressed mathematically and discuss the complexity involved in mapping its algorithmic structure.
  • One participant suggests that knowing the Hamiltonian for every atom and their interactions is necessary for such a mathematical model.
  • Another participant proposes the idea of creating algorithmic-based diseases to study interactions within an algorithmic-based person.
  • Concerns are raised about the current limitations in computing power to model such complex systems.
  • Some participants recommend starting with simpler organisms, like nematodes, to explore mathematical modeling in biology.
  • There are discussions about the categorization of this research, with mentions of applied math, mathematical biology, and theoretical physics.
  • Participants express the daunting nature of modeling the human body due to the vast number of interactions and components involved.
  • One participant shares a humorous take on the complexity by presenting a nonsensical formula for their body.
  • Several participants emphasize the unpredictability of the human body's reactions to various stimuli, prompting further questions about the nature of these reactions.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of views on the feasibility of mathematically modeling the human body, with no consensus reached. Some acknowledge the potential for mathematical modeling in biology, while others highlight the overwhelming complexity and current limitations. Disagreement exists regarding the predictability of the human body's reactions.

Contextual Notes

Participants note that the task of mathematically modeling the human body is complicated by many unresolved questions in biology and chemistry, as well as the need for a comprehensive understanding of the smallest building blocks of life.

  • #31
collinsmark said:
Consider a perfectly spherical human, ...

With only conservative forces! :wink:
 
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  • #32
collinsmark said:
Consider a perfectly spherical human, ...

...of uniform density...
 
  • #33
lisab said:
...of uniform density...
...floating in the vacuum of space...
 
  • #34
collinsmark said:
Consider a perfectly spherical human, ...

I am very proud to say that I am as close to that ideal of perfection as humanly possible. :biggrin:
 
  • #35
ZombieFeynman said:
The second link, while superficial, at least sheds light on the sort of unpredictability found in human biology. It is undoubtably of more use than any simple remark on unpredictability on its own right.

Edit: I did not intend on derailing the topic, only to prompt clarification.

To the OP, perhaps you'd like to explore Cellular Automata or Conway's Game of Life. You might also want to hear more about the field of Artificial Life in general. A book you may want to eventually check out is The Computational Beauty of Nature.

For certain, these are a long way off from deterministic simulations of the whole human body (by a long shot!), but perhaps they are a start. Maybe even someday, someone asking questions like yours may extend these studies further.
ZF, my comment was a reminder that there are too many variables in the real human body. How one person responds to bacteria, virus, parasites, etc... is uncountable, and any drugs that would combat these can be affected by many unpredictable occurrences. It would be impossible for me to try to list and I am sure that you know that, we don't even know what issues may arise. So, no, reminding the OP how unpredictable the human body is is not *unimportant*. It's something they need to consider.
 
  • #36
davgonz90 said:
I have a question: can the human body be expressed mathematically? If so, how would you even go about starting to map out the algorithmic structure of something that's living (which would include molecular function, cellular function, etc. etc.)?
What would want to express? And in how much detail? Taking into account each particle is beyond reason, but a crude approximation for some purposes may be x=vt where x is your center of mass and v is your walking speed. In practice, you only use the level of detail you need.
 

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