ABSTRACT

The notion of humans as self-constructing living systems is developed in three stages. The elaboration and organization of behavior patterns result from information exchange and processing functions analogous to biological self-construction through material-energy exchange processes. Through self-constructing, self-organizing biological processes, those materials are decomposed, reorganized into new combinations, and used to build, maintain, and repair biological structures and to produce energy to fuel activity. The elaboration and organization of behavior patterns result from information exchange and processing functions analogous to biological self-construction through material-energy exchange processes. Medical treatments exert their effects by enhancing the body’s own self-constructing properties in one of two ways: by facilitating or amplifying such processes and by attenuating or removing influences that are interfering with those self-constructing properties. The governing functions provide the centralized coordination that is necessary to maintain the flexibility and adaptability of complex systems.