Distributivity, a general information theoretic network measure, or why the whole is more than the sum of its parts

Molecular life sciences are rapidly uncovering the elementary building blocks underlying complex biological functions. A common feature encountered at all levels is the organization of basic constituents into distributed, high-dimensional networks. A major challenge lies in understanding the abstract principles that govern the logic of these networks, enabling them to execute complex functions while retaining stability and adaptability (Somogyi and Sniegoski, 1996). Boolean networks provide a model framework that captures these features, serving as a testing ground for establishing novel techniques in computational network analysis.