In this paper, the author proposes a new definition of life and explores its emergence in the universe and its continual evolution. They introduce the concept of Kantian Wholes, which achieve Catalytic Closure, Constraint Closure, and Spatial Closure. The author combines two established mathematical theories, Collectively Autocatalytic Sets and the Theory of the Adjacent Possible, to argue that life is expected to emerge as a phase transition in the evolving universe. They also discuss the blurring of the distinction between software and hardware in living cells. The paper suggests new approaches to studying the phylogeny of metabolisms, searching for life on exoplanets, and experimenting to understand the emergence of basic life forms.
https://arxiv.org/abs/2401.09514