I don’t have my own definition of society but the society which is generally defined may be considered as collection of associated individuals and the type of associations between them is generally the considered identity of the society. In general we have identity based on our associations. (I am an Indian coz I am associated with India, I am student as I am associated with academics) I don’t want to argue with this condition rather I would appreciate it and would like to say that “our Association does matters”.
And the other type of identity which I observe in case of cell is the identity based on function. I often here from my professor “Okay, all this is fine but what is the function?” while answering his question and studying neuroantomy in detail I realized that Cell, which exemplifies uniformity and regulation, defined by clear and permissible boundaries; considered as the basic unit of life can symbolize the higher organizations of life, the human society. It makes us realize that not just association but your purpose (function) also matters in giving you an identity.
Here I wish to shows the cell as a metaphor of society.
Why metaphor?
Coz I am assuming that this can help us perceive both cellular and societal functions better rather than one explaining the other.
History of the society the genome metaphor
Structural diversity possessed by a cellular structure is limited by the information content of the genome, thus; the genome is the unifying factor behind the functional heterogeneity in the cellular structures. In case of society out of the various factors unifying the societies the history remains an important consideration. By History here, I means that the present state of the society has arrived with some flexible time dependent change in its past state. The present state is not an independent occurrence. (The irrefutable fact, the lesson learned from evolution!) So, the history also gives an identity!
Yet another fact! Nothing is created new out of the blues! Only the change in history or the association or the function makes it new!
Traditions of the society the replication (process) metaphor
The cells during it replication spends lot of energy in the process of maintaining the replication fidelity. Unlike the viruses which does not have any fidelity towards its replication the cells have evolved various mechanisms to avoid any change in the genomic information during the process. This process of faithfully transferring the information to the next generation cell raises the question
Why does the cell invest so much to avoid any variations (change)?
Is it not paradoxical? Variations are the essence of life and the life itself is avoiding variation.
Is it to maintain its type? Or is it to maintain its commitment towards its function in the still higher level of organization?
Or probably the cell knows that Novelty not in accord with its associates is malignant.
In society the tradition is the process of faithfully passing on the values and the bylaws of the society to the next generation. The other important reason to follow tradition in societal living is to avoid chaos in the society and for the ease of the acquiring the knowledge. For instance, any laboratory works with a defined protocols and set of defined “good lab practices”, following these helps in avoiding the unnecessary confusion and disorder (I remember my professor telling me “maintain the tradition of the lab”). Traditions are defined orders which bring out order in the society; this point further strengthens the view that “Order comes out from order”.
Societal Bylaws the membrane metaphor
The cell came in to existence with the demarcation of its boundaries-the membrane. With the formation of membrane the cellular components evolved functional heterogeneity. The membrane regulates the convey of external environment to the cell. It protects the cell from the “unfamiliar” things.
Within the cell it segregates the various process components and thus defining their niche and heterogeneity, as well. The flexibility, selectivity and permeability of the membrane define the cells shape, growth, movements and various developmental aspects. Analogous to the membrane in the cell, society has ethological membranes made by its bylaws and regulations which defines it’s inter and intra level relations. Whereas the history, association and function as defined above gives an identity to the society the societal bylaws should give protection and a platform for development.
Here one thing which strikes my mind (after studying ecological system before and cellular system now) is that evolution is blind and random may be coz it works in an ajar or open system. But development is directed towards a goal may be cause it is within the limits of the membrane.
Whatever the case the selection should not be blind!
