Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Types of Genetic Transfer Between Organisms02:18

Types of Genetic Transfer Between Organisms

28.8K
Genetic transfer occurs when genetic information is passed from one organism to another. It occurs via two mechanisms: vertical gene transfer and horizontal gene transfer. Vertical gene transfer occurs when genetic information is transferred from one generation to the next, which happens much more frequently than horizontal gene transfer. Both sexual and asexual reproduction are forms of vertical gene transfer, where one or more organisms pass some or all of their genome onto their progeny.
28.8K
Transgenic Organisms00:53

Transgenic Organisms

31.3K
Overview
31.3K
Structural Organization of the Human Body: An Overview01:18

Structural Organization of the Human Body: An Overview

14.6K
It is convenient to consider the body's structures in terms of fundamental levels of organization that increase in complexity: subatomic particles, atoms, molecules, organelles, cells, tissues, organs, organ systems, and organisms.
To study the chemical level of organization, scientists consider the simplest building blocks of matter: subatomic particles, atoms, and molecules. All matter in the universe is composed of one or more unique pure substances called elements, familiar examples of...
14.6K
Mismatch Repair01:20

Mismatch Repair

4.9K
Organisms are capable of detecting and fixing nucleotide mismatches that occur during DNA replication. This sophisticated process requires identifying the new strand and replacing the erroneous bases with correct nucleotides. Mismatch repair is coordinated by many proteins in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes.
The Mutator Protein Family Plays a Key Role in DNA Mismatch Repair
The human genome has more than 3 billion base pairs of DNA per cell. Prior to cell division, that vast amount of genetic...
4.9K
Mechanistic Models: Compartment Models in Individual and Population Analysis01:23

Mechanistic Models: Compartment Models in Individual and Population Analysis

65
Mechanistic models are utilized in individual analysis using single-source data, but imperfections arise due to data collection errors, preventing perfect prediction of observed data. The mathematical equation involves known values (Xi), observed concentrations (Ci), measurement errors (εi), model parameters (ϕj), and the related function (ƒi) for i number of values. Different least-squares metrics quantify differences between predicted and observed values. The ordinary least...
65
Genetic Material01:20

Genetic Material

1.9K
Within the human body, a complex and detailed system of trillions of cells works in unison to sustain life. Each cell houses a nucleus, which contains 46 chromosomes divided into 23 pairs. Chromosomes are highly coiled structures made of the genetic material DNA. These chromosomes are essential carriers of genetic information, with half inherited from the mother through her egg and the other half from the father's sperm, combining to create the unique genetic makeup of an individual.
1.9K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Determinants of vaccine hesitancy and interventions aimed at contrasting this issue in Europe: an overview of systematic reviews.

Annali dell'Istituto superiore di sanita·2026
Same author

Key factors in complex public health interventions to address vaccine hesitancy using a multidisciplinary approach: the VAX-TRUST project.

Health education research·2024
Same author

How (not) to Talk to a Plant: An Application of Automata Theory to Plant Communication.

Acta biotheoretica·2024
Same author

Trust matters: The Addressing Vaccine Hesitancy in Europe Study.

Scandinavian journal of public health·2024
Same author

Countering vaccine hesitancy: a systematic review of interventions to strengthen healthcare professionals' action.

European journal of public health·2023
Same author

Beyond Haeckel's Law: Walter Garstang and the Evolutionary Biology that Might Have Been.

Journal of the history of biology·2020

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 23, 2025

Muscle Receptor Organs in the Crayfish Abdomen: A Student Laboratory Exercise in Proprioception
10:50

Muscle Receptor Organs in the Crayfish Abdomen: A Student Laboratory Exercise in Proprioception

Published on: November 18, 2010

22.4K

The machine-organism relation revisited.

Maurizio Esposito1, Lorenzo Baravalle2

  • 1University of Lisbon (Centro Interuniversitário de História das Ciências e da Tecnologia), 1749-016, Lisbon, Portugal. mauriespo@gmail.com.

History and Philosophy of the Life Sciences
|July 13, 2023
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Organisms are not machines in a general sense, but specific shared invariants justify using machine analogies in biology. This approach clarifies complex living phenomena by identifying robust similarities between organic processes and mechanical principles.

Keywords:
Analogies in scienceMachineMechanismsOrganism

More Related Videos

Characterization of the Sense of Agency over the Actions of Neural-machine Interface-operated Prostheses
05:21

Characterization of the Sense of Agency over the Actions of Neural-machine Interface-operated Prostheses

Published on: January 7, 2019

8.0K
Experimental Manipulation of Body Size to Estimate Morphological Scaling Relationships in Drosophila
06:00

Experimental Manipulation of Body Size to Estimate Morphological Scaling Relationships in Drosophila

Published on: October 1, 2011

14.0K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 23, 2025

Muscle Receptor Organs in the Crayfish Abdomen: A Student Laboratory Exercise in Proprioception
10:50

Muscle Receptor Organs in the Crayfish Abdomen: A Student Laboratory Exercise in Proprioception

Published on: November 18, 2010

22.4K
Characterization of the Sense of Agency over the Actions of Neural-machine Interface-operated Prostheses
05:21

Characterization of the Sense of Agency over the Actions of Neural-machine Interface-operated Prostheses

Published on: January 7, 2019

8.0K
Experimental Manipulation of Body Size to Estimate Morphological Scaling Relationships in Drosophila
06:00

Experimental Manipulation of Body Size to Estimate Morphological Scaling Relationships in Drosophila

Published on: October 1, 2011

14.0K

Area of Science:

  • Philosophy of Science
  • Biophysics
  • History of Technology

Background:

  • The concept of
  • Definitions of
  • Historical analysis reveals a lack of a singular, universally accepted definition for

Purpose of the Study:

  • To critically examine the assumptions underlying organism-machine comparisons.
  • To propose a refined concept of machine analogy applicable to biological systems.
  • To distinguish between vague similarities and specific, invariant-based analogies.

Main Methods:

  • Historical reconstruction of the concept of
  • Conceptual analysis differentiating "generic identity" from "machine analogy."
  • Elucidation of "invariants" as the basis for valid machine analogies.

Main Results:

  • The definition of
  • "Generic identity" leads to confusion in organism-machine comparisons and should be discarded.
  • A robust "machine analogy" relies on identifying shared "invariants" between organic phenomena and mechanical devices.

Conclusions:

  • Organisms are not machines in a generic sense.
  • Specific "invariants" justify the use of machine analogies in scientific practice for understanding living phenomena.
  • Machine analogy, particularly as analogy by proportion, offers a valuable framework for scientific inquiry in biology.