AMPHISBAENA 185 



understand the life of the cell and the functions of its individual 

 parts, don't you believe in the division of labor? 



o: 



Frankly, I don't; at least not in the crudely mechanomorphic 

 way — the wheels and the gears and the levers — in which this is 

 usually done. Even if Nature were one gigantic servo-mechanism, 

 I am afraid the beards of the cybemeticists, entrusted with 

 servicing it, would get into the way of the feedbacks. In the living 

 cell there must be a way in which quantity — or, better, density 

 or compression — regulated on an as yet undescribable time scale, 

 becomes a new and unique quality, namely, that of life. 



y: 



I am afraid, you are, after all, a vitalist. Returning now to this 

 business of information and disregarding all you have said, this 

 is what it amounts to. We do believe in the division of labor in 

 the cell, with each part, yes, with each molecule, having a definite 

 and recognizable function. And we believe in the existence of a 

 strict hierarchy. 



o: 



I know, I know. Mix anything with everything in the right propor- 

 tions and the resulting puree will say: Papa! But tell me, since 

 you mention the hierarchy of the cell, reading the recent literature 

 I get the impression that the cell is a society of slaves that have 

 no master. 



y: 



Not at all. In the beginning was DNA . . . 



o: 

 I hear the start of a new apocryphal gospel with DNA as the 

 logos of our times. 



y: 



Is it possible that you don't believe in DNA? 



