Three-body system metaphor for the two-slit experiment and Escherichia coli lactose-glucose metabolism

Philos Trans A Math Phys Eng Sci. 2016 May 28;374(2068):20150243. doi: 10.1098/rsta.2015.0243.

Abstract

We compare the contextual probabilistic structures of the seminal two-slit experiment (quantum interference experiment), the system of three interacting bodies andEscherichia colilactose-glucose metabolism. We show that they have the same non-Kolmogorov probabilistic structure resulting from multi-contextuality. There are plenty of statistical data with non-Kolmogorov features; in particular, the probabilistic behaviour of neither quantum nor biological systems can be described classically. Biological systems (even cells and proteins) are macroscopic systems and one may try to present a more detailed model of interactions in such systems that lead to quantum-like probabilistic behaviour. The system of interactions between three bodies is one of the simplest metaphoric examples for such interactions. By proceeding further in this way (by playing withn-body systems) we shall be able to find metaphoric mechanical models for complex bio-interactions, e.g. signalling between cells, leading to non-Kolmogorov probabilistic data.

Keywords: contextuality; glucose preference; quantum interference; three-body system.

MeSH terms

  • Escherichia coli / metabolism*
  • Glucose / metabolism
  • Lactose / metabolism
  • Metaphor
  • Models, Biological
  • Models, Statistical*
  • Quantum Theory*

Substances

  • Glucose
  • Lactose