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Life As A Mathematical Construct

By

Ian Beardsley

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Life As A Mathematical Construct

By

Ian Beardsley

Copyright © January 4 2020 by Ian Beardsley


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It would seem there is some possibility that as life goes from the fundamental framework to
form, so does the math that describes it. I make no attempt to understand why the
composition of life is aesthetically pleasing and how that came about, but I think it is due to the
need for function. The structure herein found arose when I was comparing biological life to
artificial intelligence. The case for bone was so interesting to me that I decided to proceed to
muscle and skin. It is because of this structure only revealing itself when comparing the
biological to AI, that I might suggest you can only speak about what life is relative to another
construct, like AI. Especially where awareness is concerned if we consider the Turing test.

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Rough Sketch
The rough sketch of homo sapiens reveals an arithmetic sequence.

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Bone
In my exploration of the connection between biological life and AI the most dynamic
component is that of bone. It affords us the opportunity to look at:

Multiplying Binomials

Completing The Square

The Quadratic Formula

Ratios

Proportions

The Golden Ratio

The Square Root of Two

The Harmonic Mean


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Density of silicon is Si=2.33 grams per cubic centimeter.

Density of germanium is Ge=5.323 grams per cubic centimeter.

Density of hydroxyapatite is HA=3.00 grams per cubic centimeter.

This is

3 1
Si + Ge ≈ H A where H A = Ca5(PO4)3OH

4 4
Where HA is the mineral component of bone, Si is an AI semiconductor material and Ge is an
AI semiconductor material. This means

[ HA ]
Si Si
Si + 1 − Ge = H A

HA
The harmonic mean between Si and Ge is HA,…

2SiGe
≈ H A

Si + Ge
This is the sextic,…

x 2(x + y)4 − x y(x + y)4 + 2x y 2(x + y)3 − 4x 2 y 2(x + y)2 = 0

Which has a solution

Si 1
=

Ge 2+1
Where x=Si, and y=Ge. It can be solved with the online Wolfram Alpha computational engine.
But,…

[ HA ]
1 Ge Ge
2
Si2 − 2
Si + − 1 = 0

HA HA

1 Ge 4Ge
Si = Ge ± H A − +4

2 HA 2 HA

Si = Ge − H A

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[ HA ]
Si Si
Si + 1 − Ge = H A

HA

Si2 Si
+ Ge − Ge ≈ H A

HA HA
1 Ge
Si2 − Si + Ge ≈ H A

HA HA
1 Ge Ge
Si2 − Si + ≈ 1

HA 2
HA 2 HA
1 Ge Ge
Si2 − Si + − 1 ≈ 0

HA 2
HA 2 HA

[ HA ]
1 Ge Ge
2
Si2 − 2
Si + − 1 = 0

HA HA
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(x + a)(x + a) = x 2 + 2a x + a 2

(x + a)2 = x 2 + 2a x + a 2

We see that the square of the binomial is a quadratic where the third term is the square of one
half the middle coefficient. This gives us a method to solve quadratics called completing the
square:

a x 2 + bx + c = 0

a x 2 + bx = − c

b c
x2 + x =−

a a

(2 a)
2
1b 1 b2
=

4 a2

2 b 1 b2 c 1 b2
x + x+ =− +

a 4 a2 a 4 a2

( 2 a)
2
1b b 2 − 4ac
x+ =

4a 2

b b 2 − 4ac
x+ =±

2a 2a

−b ± b 2 − 4ac
x= 

2a
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[ HA ]
1 Ge Ge
2
Si2 − 2
Si + − 1 = 0

HA HA

−b ± b 2 − 4ac
x=

2a

[ HA ]
a Ge Ge
a= b=− c= −1

H A2 H A2

H A2 [ H A ]
Ge2 1 Ge
b 2 − 4ac = −4 −1

H A4
Ge2 4Ge 4
= − +

H A4 H A3 H A2

Ge2
H A2 [ H A2 ]
1 4Ge
= − +4

HA

( HA )
2
2 1 Ge
b − 4ac = −2

HA

[ HA − 2]
Ge 1 Ge
±
HA2 HA
x= 2

HA2

[ HA ]
1 1 Ge
= Ge ± H A −2

2 2
1 1
= Ge ± Ge − H A

2 2
1 1
Si = Ge + Ge − H A

2 2
Si = Ge − H A

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Si ≈ Ge − H A

2SiGe
HA ≈

Si + Ge
2SiGe
Si ≈ Ge −

Si + Ge
(Si + Ge)Ge (Si + Ge)Si 2SiGe
− − = 0

Si + Ge Si + Ge Si + Ge
Ge2 − 2SiGe − Si2
= 0

Si + Ge
x 2 − 2x y − y 2 = 0

x 2 − 2x y = y 2

x 2 − 2x y + y 2 = 2y 2

(x − y)2 = 2y 2

x−y =± 2y

x =y+ 2y

x = y(1 + 2)

x
=1+ 2

y
y 1
=

x 2+1
Si 1
≈

Ge 2+1
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a a b
A ratio is and a proportion is = which means a is to b as b is to c.

b b c
The Golden Ratio (Φ)

a b
= and. a = b + c

b c
b2
ac = b 2 or c =

a
b2
a=b+

a
b2
− a + b = 0

a
b2 b
− 1 + = 0

a2 a

(a)
2
b b
+ − 1 = 0

(a)
2
b b 1 1
+ + =1+

a 4 4

(a 2)
2
b 1 5
+ =

b 1 5 b 5−1 a 5+1
=− ± = =

a 2 2 a 2 b 2
5−1 5+1 1
ϕ= Φ= ϕ=

2 2 Φ
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The mineral component of bone hydroxyapatite (HA) is

g
Ca5(PO4)3OH = 502.32

m ol
The organic component of bone is collagen which is

g
C57 H91N19O16 = 1298.67

m ol
We have

Ca5(PO4)3OH
= 0.386795722

C57 H91N19O16

ϕ = 0.618033989

1 − ϕ = 0.381966011

Ca5(PO4)3OH
≈ (1 − ϕ)

C57 H91N19O16
0.381966011
100 = 98.75%

0.386795722
Si 28.09
= = 0.386861314 ≈ (1 − ϕ)

Ge 72.61
Si Ca5(PO4)3OH
≈ 

Ge C57 H91N19O16
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Muscle
Muscle tissue is a soft tissue. Three types of muscle tissue are recognized in vertebrates:

1) Skeletal Muscle: 42% of body mass in adult male, 36% of body mass in adult female.

2) Smooth Muscle: or “involuntary muscle” (not under conscious control).

3) Cardiac Muscle: also involuntary muscle but more similar to the structure of skeletal
muscle. Is found only in the heart.

Muscle is made of protein cells actin and myosin.

Comparing all of the components of biological life — like bones, DNA, and amino acids —
bone is the most interesting. It makes use of the fundamental framework of mathematics —
multiplying binomials, completing the square, quadratic equations, square root of two, the
golden ratio,…—

Is this because bone is the fundamental framework of vertebrates. We ask, if it is the

framework for such life, then if muscle rests upon the framework of bone to give such life form
then does muscle make use of constant coefficient non-linear differential equations since they
rest upon quadratic equations (framework of mathematics) to give mathematics form. Like,…

··y − 7y· + 12y = 0

y = e m x

y· = m e m x

··y = m 2e m x

e m x (m 2 − 7m + 12) = 0

(m − 3)(m − 4) = 0

m = 3,m = 4

y = c1e3x + c2e 4x

Indeed my guess was correct. After looking it up on wikipedia, if we consider Hill’s muscle
model: It relates tension to velocity with regard to the internal thermodynamics:

(v + b)(F + a) = b(F0 + a)

F is the tension, or load, v is the viscosity of contraction, F_0 is the maximum isometric tension
(or load) generated in the muscle, a is the coefficient of shortening heat, b=a*v_0/F_0, and v_0
is the maximum velocity when F=0. It demonstrates that the relationship between F and v is
hyperbolic, in other words the higher the load, the lower the contraction velocity. The cause of
the loss of tension is viscous friction and the is therefore modeled after a fluid damper.

A solvable differential equation with constant coefficients solvable by characteristic equations

is precisely what I guessed from the idea I laid out of framework to form being parallel between
biology and mathematics. The equation of a damped harmonic oscillator is solvable by non-
linear differential equations with constant coefficients.

d2x dx
m 2 +c + k x = 0

dt dt
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Skin
My guess is that the next step is to look at skin and that it won’t be a transition in complexity
going from muscle to the skin (as is the transition from bone to muscle) but a transition in
change of subject. That is to say we don’t transition in complexity from the quadratic
framework to the mathematical form of differential equations, but rather change subject to
vector calculus. Vector calculus is not more complex than differential equations but rather is
the other option we can choose to study after calculus. Eventually, if we are majoring in physics
we must learn both. We now look at vector calculus because we are rather than studying
forces related to changes in distances with respect to time are looking at surface areas, hence
contour maps or rather geometry. To begin we start again comparing biological life with
artificial intelligence. Skin of a robot would basically be plastic, which in its simplest form is
C2H4.

C2H4=2(12.01 g/mol)+4(1.01 g/mol)=24.02+4.04=28.06

The most fundamental component of artificial intelligence is silicon, Si=28.09 g/mol. Thus,…

C2 H4 ≈ Si

28.06
100 = 99.89

28.09
An accuracy of 99.89%

Thus, we should be dealing with for surface area

( ∂x ) ( ∂y )
2 2
∂g ∂g
∬S ∬D
f (x, y, z)dS = f (x, y, g(x, y)) + + 1d A

For volume of a cylinder

a a2 − x 2 h a
1
∫ ∫ ∫E ∫−a ∫− ∫ ∫−a
1dV = 1d zd yd x = 2h a 2 − x 2 d x = 2h πa 2 h = πa 2 h

a2 − x2 0 2

1
( ∇ × F)( p) . n ̂ = lim
A ∮C
⇀ ⇀
⇀
F⋅dr

A→0

( ∂x ∂y ∂z )
∂Fy ∂Fz
div F ⃗ |x = ∇ ⋅ F ⃗ =
∂ ∂ ∂ ∂F
, , ⋅ (Fx, Fy, Fz) = x + +

0 ∂x ∂y ∂z

∂f ⇀ ∂f ∂f ⃗
∇f = i+ j ⃗+ k

∂x ∂y ∂z
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Body surface area and volume is modeled by taking the body as cylinders with convex and
concave distortions. It is no trivial matter to determine a model, and they are only
approximations.

Surface Area (S)

The following formula was determined by Yu, Lin, Yang (2010):

S = 0.00713989W 0.404 H 0.7437

Where S is in square meters, W (weight) is in kilograms, H (height) is in centimeters.

Applying for someone 200 lbs and 6 ft, we have

200 lbs=90.7185 kg

6 ft=182.88 cm

S=2.123 square meters

Normal body surface area is taken to be 1.7 square meters but is on the average 2 square
meters (20,000 square centimeters).

Volume (V)

( )
(51.44)W
V=S + 15.3

H
Using W=90.7185 and H=182.88 we have V=66.334 Liters. The average body volume is 62,000
cubic cm.

Taking The Ratio

V 62,000cm3
= = 3.647cm

S 17,200cm2
We create a program and run it for multiple values, then plot it…

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//
// main.cpp
// bodyvolume
//
// Created by Ian Beardsley on 12/31/19.
// Copyright © 2019 Ian Beardsley. All rights reserved.
//

#include <iostream>
#include <math.h>
using namespace std;

int main(int argc, const char * argv[]) {

int n;
double W[100], H[100], inches, kg, cm, centimeters, height,
S, V, a, b;
cout<<"How many computations? ";
cin>>n;
for (int x=0; x<n; x++)
{
cout<<"Enter W in lbs " <<x+1<<": ";
cin>>W[99];
cout<<"Enter H in ft " <<x+1<<": ";
cin>>H[99];
cout<<"Enter H in inches "<<x+1<<": ";
cin>>inches;

kg=W[99]*(0.453592);
cm=H[99]*(30.48);
centimeters=inches*(2.54);
height=centimeters+cm;
S=(0.00713989)*(pow(kg, 0.404))*(pow(height, 0.7437));
a=S*kg*(51.44);
b=a/height;
V=b+15.3;

cout<<"The weight in kilograms is W" <<x+1 <<": " <<

kg<<endl;
cout<<"The height in centimeters is H" <<x+1 <<": " <<
height<<endl;
cout<<"Surface area in square meters is S" <<x+1 << ":
"<< S <<endl;
cout<<"Volume in liters is V" <<x+1 << ": "<< V <<endl;
cout<<"(V/S)" << x+1 << ": " <<V*(0.1)/S<<"cm" <<endl;
}
}
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How many computations? 6

Enter W in lbs 1: 105
Enter H in ft 1: 5
Enter H in inches 1: 0
The weight in kilograms is W1: 47.6272
The height in centimeters is H1: 152.4
Surface area in square meters is S1: 1.429
Volume in liters is V1: 38.2721
(V/S)1: 2.67826cm
Enter W in lbs 2: 128
Enter H in ft 2: 5
Enter H in inches 2: 6
The weight in kilograms is W2: 58.0598
The height in centimeters is H2: 167.64
Surface area in square meters is S2: 1.66175
Volume in liters is V2: 44.905
(V/S)2: 2.70227cm
Enter W in lbs 3: 133
Enter H in ft 3: 5
Enter H in inches 3: 7
The weight in kilograms is W3: 60.3277
The height in centimeters is H3: 170.18
Surface area in square meters is S3: 1.70666
Volume in liters is V3: 46.4212
(V/S)3: 2.72cm
Enter W in lbs 4: 139
Enter H in ft 4: 5
Enter H in inches 4: 8
The weight in kilograms is W4: 63.0493
The height in centimeters is H4: 172.72
Surface area in square meters is S4: 1.7566
Volume in liters is V4: 48.2847
(V/S)4: 2.74875cm
Enter W in lbs 5: 144
Enter H in ft 5: 5
Enter H in inches 5: 9
The weight in kilograms is W5: 65.3172
The height in centimeters is H5: 175.26
Surface area in square meters is S5: 1.80132
Volume in liters is V5: 49.8331
(V/S)5: 2.76649cm
Enter W in lbs 6: 200
Enter H in ft 6: 6
Enter H in inches 6: 0
The weight in kilograms is W6: 90.7184
The height in centimeters is H6: 182.88
Surface area in square meters is S6: 2.12311
Volume in liters is V6: 69.4756
(V/S)6: 3.27234cm
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Bone Revisited
In comparing biological life to artificial intelligence I found the case for bone very compelling for
life as a mathematical construct. It is really quite interesting, if not aesthetically pleasing in its
structure. I covered that in my paper Life As A Mathematical Construct, here I revisit bone
using those findings in terms of the intermembral index which compares the forelimbs of
vertebrates to their hindlimbs. A ratio greater than one means the forelimbs are longer than the
hindlimbs and less than one the hindlimbs are longer. It is this ratio that tells paleontologists a
great deal about the manner of propulsion of a vertebrate.

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We begin by looking at hydroxyapatite (HA) the mineral component of bone and comparing it to
silicon (Si) and germanium (Ge) the most basic components of artificial intelligence (AI).

Density of silicon is Si=2.33 grams per cubic centimeter.

Density of germanium is Ge=5.323 grams per cubic centimeter.

Density of hydroxyapatite is HA=3.00 grams per cubic centimeter.

This is

3 1
Si + Ge ≈ H A where H A = Ca5(PO4)3OH

4 4
This gives

[ HA ]
Si Si 2SiGe
Si + 1 − Ge = H A and. ≈ H A

HA Si + Ge
Which is the sextic

x 2(x + y)4 − x y(x + y)4 + 2x y 2(x + y)3 − 4x 2 y 2(x + y)2 = 0

Which has solution

Si 1
=

Ge 2+1
Because if y=Si, and x=Ge, we have

Si ≈ Ge − H A

2SiGe
HA ≈

Si + Ge
Ge2 − 2SiGe − Si2
= 0

Si + Ge
x 2 − 2x y − y 2 = 0

y 1
=

x 2+1
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Thus we see that if i is the intermembral index and Si and Ge subscripted with rho are the
densities of silicon and germanium, respectively. Thus,…

i ≈ 0.7

Siρ 1
≈

Geρ 2+1
And,…

1 1
≈ + 1

i 2+1
Now we introduce the organic component of bone, collagen:

g
Ca5(PO4)3OH = 502.32

m ol
g
C57 H91N19O16 = 1298.67

m ol
We have

Ca5(PO4)3OH
= 0.386795722

C57 H91N19O16

ϕ = 0.618033989

1 − ϕ = 0.381966011

Ca5(PO4)3OH
≈ (1 − ϕ)

C57 H91N19O16
0.381966011
100 = 98.75%

0.386795722
Si 28.09
= = 0.386861314 ≈ (1 − ϕ)

Ge 72.61
Si Ca5(PO4)3OH
≈

Ge C57 H91N19O16

By molar mass. Where, ϕ is the golden ratio conjugate, is recurrent throughout ratios in
vertebrates determined by bone lengths.

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The Author

Ian Beardsley studied physics at The University of Oregon and worked in astronomy for four
years at the state observatory Pine Mountain Observatory, in the high desert East of Bend. His
name appears on several papers in The Astrophysical Journal.