Computer Simulation and Computabiblity of Biological Systems

The ability to simulate a biological organism by employing a computer is related to the ability of the computer to calculate the behavior of such a dynamical system, or the "computability" of the system. However, the two questions of computability and simulation are not equivalent. Since the question of computability can be given a precise answer in terms of recursive functions, automata theory and dynamical systems, it will be appropriate to consider it first. The more elusive question of adequate simulation of biological systems by a computer will be then addressed and a possible connection between the two answers given will be considered as follows. A symbolic, algebraic-topological "quantum computer" (as introduced in Baianu, 1971b) is here suggested to provide one such potential means for adequate biological simulations based on QMV Quantum Logic and meta-Categorical Modeling as for example in a QMV-based, Quantum-Topos (Baianu and Glazebrook,2004.