The Importance of Being Dynamic: Systems Biology Beyond the Hairball

Abstract

“While we do not necessarily need strictly hypothesis-driven investigation, thoughtful, curiosity-driven research is a must. If we continue the way we are currently going, we run the danger of ending up with massive mountains of big data that nobody can interpret. Systems biology should not reinforce this trend, but rather provide new ways for making sense of life. What we need is a more balanced combination of theory and experimental practice, and more adequate communication between them. The philosophy of biology should certainly be of help in this context. Philosophers and theoreticians have made important contributions to highlight the importance of theory in disciplines where it is generally underrated. Unfortunately, the message is all too rarely heard within the community of experimental biologists. In my view, this must change if systems biology is to achieve its true potential.”.