What is assembly theory?
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Assembly theory, as discussed by and , is a conceptual framework used to analyze how molecules are built up from elementary building blocks. The theory can be generalized beyond molecules but has particular significance in molecular contexts. The process involves identifying all potential paths by which a molecule can be assembled from these building blocks, utilizing rules of assembly that allow for recursive construction. The concept of an "assembly index" measures the shortest path in these assembly processes. It's significant because a high assembly index suggests that the object was likely created by a systematic, informed process, rather than random assembly. This is based on the complexity that emerges as the assembly index increases, indicating a system that embodies some form of memory or information about assembly 1.
further elaborates that assembly theory helps differentiate between objects created through a random process versus those formed by causation, using the example of fragments from a delicately hit piece of porcelain. He argues that the larger the number of unique fragments, the more likely it is that the object has undergone evolutionary or informed processes 2.
Thus, assembly theory not only aids in understanding molecular construction but could also be instrumental in identifying biological life or life-like processes based on the complexity and informed nature of object assembly.
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