From Evo Devo Universe

First International Conference on the

Contents 1 Evolution and Development of the Universe 1.1 SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE 1.2 PUBLICATION 1.3 SUBMISSION OPTIONS 1.4 QUESTIONS/TOPICS/THEMES 1.5 IMPORTANT DATES 1.6 KEYNOTE SPEAKERS 1.7 ORGANIZING COMMITTEE 1.8 VENUE 1.9 CONTACT

[edit] Evolution and Development of the Universe

Wed - Thu, 8 - 9 October 2008, Paris, France
Host Institution: Ecole Normale Supérieure
45, rue d'Ulm, 75005, Dussane room (198 seats)

In collaboration with ECCO, the Evolution, Complexity and Cognition group at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel.

The underlying paradigm for cosmology is theoretical physics. The EDU research community explores how it might be extended by including insights from evolutionary developmental biology. In the neo-Darwinian paradigm, adaptive evolutionary development allows the production of ordered and complex structures. More specifically, we can distinguish evolutionary processes which are contingently adaptive and developmental processes which produce statistically predictable structures and and trajectories internal to the developmental cycle. By analogy with two genetically identical twins, would two parametrically identical universes exhibit both unpredictable evolutionary differentiation, and predictably similar developmental outcomes between them? More generally, can we model our universe as an evolutionary developmental system?

The conference provides an opportunity for those working across these topics to get together and exchange ideas, results and resources. To this end, the conference will present a selection of current work in the field, highlight new directions for investigation, and present high-profile keynote speakers.

[edit] SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE

• James N. Gardner, complexity theorist with a background in philosophy and theoretical biology. (Portland, OR, USA)

• Carlos Gershenson, complexity theorist studying self-organization, evolution, ALife, and cognition. (Boston, MA, USA)

• Richard Gordon, embryologist and theoretical biologist exploring development, genetics, and evolution. (Manitoba, Canada)

• Francis Heylighen, systems theorist and cyberneticist focusing on the evolution of complexity. (Brussels, Belgium)

• David Holcman, mathematician and computational biologist modeling microstructures in biological systems. (Paris, France)

• Laurent Nottale, cosmologist and pioneering theorist in scale relativity and fractal space-time. (Paris, France)

• John Smart, systems theorist and scholar of accelerating change. (Mountain View, CA, USA)

• Clement Vidal, philosopher and systems theorist studying evolutionary cosmology. (Brussels, Belgium)

• Peter Winiwarter, transdisciplinary researcher in complex systems, neural networks and evolution. (Boursay, France)

[edit] PUBLICATION

The best conference papers will be published as a special issue of the interdisciplinary journal Foundations of Science. All accepted papers will be published on the EDU website. An “open commentary” soliciting EDU community feedback will be organized after the conference for all accepted papers.

[edit] SUBMISSION OPTIONS

Extended Abstracts and Papers are the two options for initial submission to the scientific committee, to be considered for conference presentation.
Please use the online submission system to upload your abstract or paper.

• Extended Abstracts are 500-1000 words (with brief References, not included in the word count).
• Papers are 5000-15000 words, with a brief (100-500 word) Abstract and References (both not included in word count).

You will be notified by August 15th whether your abstract or paper are accepted. If your abstract/paper is accepted, you will have until September 29th to write the paper (abstract accepted) or do any recommended improvements (paper accepted). All those who are accepted are expected to attend the conference to present their papers and to receive in-person feedback. There are no conference fees for presenters, but travel and lodging costs (a conference hotel is available) are your own.

[edit] QUESTIONS/TOPICS/THEMES

Abstracts and papers considering evolutionary or developmental aspects of the universe and its subsystems are welcome in areas including: cosmology, biology, complexity theory, nonlinear mathematics, information theory, computer science, systems theory, philosophy, culture studies, and related disciplines. Please review http://evodevouniverse.com/wiki/index.php/EDU_Research_Questions to understand the scope and focus of Research Questions in the EDU community. Papers are significantly more likely to be accepted if they clearly address one (or more) of these general questions.

Papers may address any of the following Topics/Themes, with implications for the universe as a system.

• Anthropic bias and observer selection effects.
• Anthropic, fine-tuning, and multiverse/ensemble models in cosmology.
• Acceleration studies at the universe and subsystem scales.
• Astrobiology, Fermi paradox, and SETI.
• Complexity, emergence, ergodicity, and nonlinear science models with organic and computational features.
• Computational and artificial life inspired models and analogies applied at the universe and subsystem scales.
• Cosmology with organic features, such as cosmological natural selection (CNS) and CNS with intelligence (CNS-I).
• Directionality, macrodevelopment, and convergent evolution in biological systems.
• Evolutionary and developmental processes in evo-devo and theoretical biology.
• Evolutionary and developmental processes in non-biological systems (physical, chemical, cultural, technological).
• Hierarchy theory, modularity, and self-organization at the universe and subsystem scales.
• Information theory of evolution and development, intelligence theory at the universe and subsystem scales.
• Network theory and neural networks as a paradigm to explain self-organization of complex networks.
• Non-equilibrium dissipative structures at the universe and subsystem scales.
• Philosophy and systems theory with organic and computational features at the universe and subsystem scales.
• Philosophical and epistemological status of cosmological and speculative theories.
• Probability distributions, power laws, and statistical predictability at the universe and subsystem scales.
• Scale relativity, scale invariance and self-similarity models at the universe and subsystem scales.
• Self-reference, iteration, and recursion models at the universe and subsystem scales.
• Systems models relating physical, chemical, biological, cultural, and technological (PCBCT) subsystems

Themes outside the scope of the conference and its community:

• Non-naturalistic orthogenesis or teleology, intelligent design, supernaturalism, and theology.

[edit] IMPORTANT DATES

• 30th July – Deadline for the submission of initial abstracts and paper proposals (extended from 15 July).
• 15th August – Notification of acceptance (accepted abstracts to be expanded to papers after 15 August)
• 29th September – Deadline for the receipt of final papers
• 8-9 October – EDU Conference, Paris, France.

[edit] KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

• James N. Gardner, a complexity theorist and science essayist, with a background in philosophy and theoretical biology.
• Francis Heylighen, a systems theorist and cyberneticist focusing on the evolution of complexity.
• Laurent Nottale, a cosmologist and pioneering theorist in scale relativity and fractal space-time.
• John Smart, a systems theorist and scholar of accelerating change.
• John Stewart, an evolutionary thinker, author and evolutionary activist.
• Clement Vidal, a philosopher and systems theorist studying evolutionary cosmology.

Conference program to be posted in August.

[edit] ORGANIZING COMMITTEE

• Alain Prochiantz (chair)
• Clément Vidal
• John Smart

Organized in collaboration with the Evolution, Complexity and Cognition group (ECCO) at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel.

Host institution: Ecole Normale Supérieure de Paris

[edit] VENUE

The conference will be held in Paris, one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. The city has a global influence on education, entertainment, media, fashion, science and the arts. Attendees will be warmly encouraged to spend Friday, Oct 10th sightseeing in self-convened, self-hosted groups. Lists of local options will be provided.

The conference hotel is Hotel Ibis Place d'Italie See also the map. It is not necessary to include a breakfast, since one will be proposed before the conference.

[edit] CONTACT

Further information about the conference program, travel and accommodation will be available on this page. For questions, please contact John Smart and/or Clement Vidal.