Bioactive peptides are a group of diverse intercellular signalling molecules. Almost half a century of research on this topic has resulted in an enormous amount of data. In this essay, a general perspective to interpret all these data will be given. In classical endocrinology, neuropeptides were thought of as simple signalling molecules that each elicit one response. However, the fact that the total bioactive peptide signal is far from simple puts this view under pressure. Cells and tissues express many different (...) bioactive peptides and they are also able to respond to many different bioactive peptides, indicating that multiple receptors and signal transduction pathways are present in a single cell. Therefore, the authors suggest that the bioactive peptide signalling system should be regarded in the context of network and systems biology. Bioactive peptides can best be viewed as an extension of the protein interaction network that allows regulating and fine‐tuning the metabolism of the different cells and tissues in the body. The cell thus responds to the ‘peptidome’ instead of to a single peptide. The intracellular part of this signalling network consists of the various signalling transduction cascades. Recently, new systems biology approaches have emerged for the modelling of cell signalling. The network and systems biology approach is also able to shed new light on the evolution of intercellular signalling. (shrink)

Over a period of 22 years (1934-1955), the mathematician Kurt Gödel wrote down a series of philosophical reflections, the so-called Philosophical Remarks (Max Phil). They have been handed down in 15 notebooks written in Gabelsberg shorthand. The first notebook contains general philosophical reflections. Notebooks two and three consist of Gödel's individual ethics. The notebooks that follow clearly show that Gödel had designed a philosophy of science in which he placed his discussions of physics, psychology, biology, mathematics, language, theology, and (...) history within the context of a particular metaphysics. For the first time, the Kurt Gödel Research Center of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences is preparing a complete, historical-critical edition of Gödel's philosophical notebooks. A volume will published each year as a part of this edition. Volume 1, which Gödel entitled "Philosophy I Max 0," covers Gödel´s own philosophical reflections as well as those of other authors that were important to him. These were placed by Gödel at the beginning of his overall philosophical project. The introduction of the editor Eva-Maria Engelen provides an overview of this particular body of work. (shrink)

Despite the fact that today only very few still regard the old socialist ideas with nationalization ofenterprises and central planning as a way to promote more efficient production, greater equality, or a more “just” distribution of income some of its conceptions nevertheless seem to have penetrated into the minds of a majority of socialist scientists. There still is this deeply rooted constructivist belief that every social and economic problem can be solved by “social engineering”, “social planning”, or by just throwing (...) government money at it. Although not openly advocating economic planning, it is widely believed that “social legislation” or “social politics” sold in a more subtle way can be used to achieve an already predetermined end: “social justice”. Most of these attempts, however seem to be little more than a repetition of the old planning idea dressed in emotionally more appealing clothes.Bien que peu nombreux soient ceux qui considèrent encore aujourd’hui les anciennes idées socialistes de nationalisation des entreprises et de planification centrale comme la voie menant à une production plus efficace, à plus d’égalité et à une distribution plus “juste” des revenus, certaines de ces conceptions semblent cependant s’être ancrées dans l’esprit de la majorité des scientifiques socialistes. Le sentiment constructiviste suivant lequel tout problème social ou économique peut être résolu à travers l’“ingénierie social”, la “ planification centrale” ou des dépenses supplémentaires de l’Etat demeure profondément enraciné. Même si leur obédience aux idées centralisatrices n’est pas ouvertement évoquée, la croyance est largement partagée qu’une “législation sociale” ou des “politiques sociales” mises en avant de manière plus subtile peuvent être employées pour atteindre un objectif déterminé à l’avance : la “justice sociale”. Cependant, la plupart de ces politiques ne semblent être rien d’autre que la réitération de l’ancienne illusion de planification centrale simplement revêtue d’une dimension émotionnelle plus attrayante. (shrink)

Over a period of 22 years (1934-1955), the mathematician Kurt Gödel wrote down a series of philosophical reflections, the so-called Philosophical Remarks (Max Phil). They have been handed down in 15 notebooks written in Gabelsberg shorthand. The first notebook contains general philosophical reflections. Notebooks two and three consist of Gödel's individual ethics. The notebooks that follow clearly show that Gödel had designed a philosophy of science in which he placed his discussions of physics, psychology, biology, mathematics, language, theology, and (...) history within the context of a particular metaphysics. For the first time, the Kurt Gödel Research Center of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences is preparing a complete, historical-critical edition of Gödel's philosophical notebooks. A volume will published each year as a part of this edition. Volume 1, which Gödel entitled "Philosophy I Max 0," covers Gödel´s own philosophical reflections as well as those of other authors that were important to him. These were placed by Gödel at the beginning of his overall philosophical project. The introduction of the editor Eva-Maria Engelen provides an overview of this particular body of work. (shrink)