51“6x9” b2861 The Cell Language Theory: Connecting Mind and MatterChapter 3
The Bhopalator
3.1 Three Stages of Development in Cell Biology
A massive amount of information is now available on the structure and
function of living cells summarized in many excellent textbooks on cell
and molecular biology in Figure 3.1 (e.g., see [127–131]).
All the experimental data we have about the living cell can be viewed
as a sign (in the sense of Peirce’s semiotics, see Section 6.3.1) that refers
to the phenomenon of life (the object of the sign) and gives rise to various
models and theories about the living cell (i.e., the interpretant of the sign),
depending on the mind of the interpreter, as schematically indicated in
Table 3.1. The table also includes the metaphysical concepts of C. S.
Peirce (1839–1914) called Firstness (ideas, chance, possibility),
Secondness (actuality, facts), and Thirdness (laws, necessity) [132] (see
also Section 6.3.2) which show family resemblances with the two other
terms appearing in a given column.
The history of science shows that human knowledge, in general,
developed in three stages, each characterizable in terms of description,
organization of data, and theory building based on organized data. Some
examples of these are given in Table 3.1 in which the list of biological
theories is mostly limited to my own work discussed in this book and
excludes many other works that could have been cited.b2861_Ch-03.indd 51 17-10-2017 11:46:05 AM