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Principles of Biological Autonomy

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From the very definition of living systems (autopoiesis), which Varela invented together with H. Maturana in the early seventies, a formal, yet radical approach to cognition is developed. Unlike other approaches, were some implicit assumptions are not discussed, the framework explained in this book is flawless in the sense that every step is based on previous seriously elaborated statements. One of its most important contributions is, in my opinion, the adoption and extention of Spencer-Brown's calculus of indications for the treatment of self-referential systems. I' m very disappointed that this book is so hard to find, for it really grabs the issue in a radical, yet strictly scientific way. With the exception of chapters 10 to 13 (where a strong mathematical background is required),the reader will enjoy Varela's explanations. He uses a simple, direct language to explain some of the most difficult and enlightning concepts, which still remain in the scientific and philosophical discussions twenty years later. It's a must for the readers interested in the Autopoiesis theory of Maturana and Varela. Some of its key concepts are shown in a clear and unique way. Finally, it's incredible how little is known about this approach in the United States, in contrast to Europe and South America. Certainly, US scientists would benefit if they take a look at Principles of Biological Autonomy before doing any research in life, cognition and social sciences.