Life's irreducible structure: Where are we, five decades later?

The illustrious scientific career ofMichael Polanyi, the Hungarian born scientist and polymath, encompassed topics ranging from chemical dynamics to the philosophy of science. In “Life’s Irreducible Structure,” an article he published more than five decades ago, Professor Polanyi proposed that organic life, specifically human self-conscious and rational life, could not be reduced to the physicochemical laws that he had spent a lifetime studying.[1] In this essay, I will detail his arguments, and submit that, in spite of the significant scientific advances made since the publication of his article, Professor Polanyi’s insights are still relevant. Drawing on his insights, I will also submit a contemporary conceptual framework for experimental strategies to better understand the principles underlying life processes. Since themajor content of this perspective is my interpretation of Polanyi’s arguments in his seminal paper, references are provided only when other articles are sourced.