Gödel, Escher, Bach An Eternal Golden Braid by Douglas R. Hofstadter

.DOGMA I

(Molecular Biology)

strands of DNA

strands of mRNA

proteins

proteins which act

on proteins

proteins which act on

proteins which act

on proteins

transcription

(DNA~ RNA)

Translation

(RNA ~ proteins)

Crick

Genetic Code

(arbitrary convention)

codon (triplet of bases)

amino acid

self-reprod uction
sufficiently strong
cellular support system
to permit self-rep

¢:~

¢:~

¢:~

¢:~

¢:~

¢:~

¢:~

¢:~

¢:~

¢:~

¢:~

¢:~

¢:~

.DOGMA II

(Mathematical Logic)

strings of TNT

statements of N

statements of meta-TNT

statements about statements

of meta-TNT

statements about statements

about statements

of meta-TNT

interpretation

(TNT~N)

Arithmetization

(N ~ meta-TNT)

G6del

G6del Code

(arbitrary convention)

codon (triplet of digits)

quoted symbol of TNT

used in meta-TNT

self-reference

sufficiently powerful

arithmetical formal system

to permit self-ref

Central Dogmap

translation

(via Genetic Code)

RNA

self-rep

transcription

(conversion to

active farm)

DNA+-----

.DoGMA I

statements

of meta-TNT

j ;;:~"'tc""'J

statements self-ref

of N

interpretation

(conversion to

meaningful form)

TNT strings .... ---

.DOGMA II