Project Summary
What is life? How did life on earth begin? Our project has been based on the idea that a fundamental characteristic of all living things is that they are able to interpret aspects of their environment. For example, an amoeba may be able to interpret the presence of a chemical given off by a bacterium as a sign that ‘dinner’ is ‘over there’. We propose that surprisingly simple entities may be able to interpret signs, and that interpretation was a key property enabling life to evolve. In order to be able to look for this possibility scientifically it has first been necessary to develop a clear understanding of ‘interpretation’, and we have proposed a definition, based on C. S. Peirce’s semiotics (theory of signs). Peirce proposed that all interpretations have a triadic structure (sign, object and interpretant). Underlying this triadic structure of sign-processes he discerned a three-fold pattern in the most fundamental structures of reality. Our new philosophical definition of ‘interpretation’ is providing a novel approach to the scientific question of the origin of life. We have begun to generate models and proposals that are already starting to demonstrate the advantage that even very simple entities gain by interpreting their environment. The theological part of our proposal is that these three-fold patterns in the world also provide ways of talking about the Christian understanding of the life of God and God’s interaction with the world. This has led us on to ask further questions – in particular, what kind of sign of God was Jesus’ life and ministry? A particular strength of the interdisciplinary methodology of STARS has been the way in which these theological questions have in turn started to stimulate further scientific proposals. We can ask: what evolved properties of humans were necessary in order that we could recognise such a sign of the character of God as Jesus was, and how did those properties arise? So the project maps philosophy onto biochemistry and theology, and theology back onto the science of paleoanthropology. Watch this space for further developments!

Niles Lehman, Professor of Chemistry, Portland State University,
Portland, Oregon
(Co-Investigator)

The Consultants to the Project:
Philip Clayton, Professor of Religion, Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, CA
Niels Gregersen, Professor of Systematic Theology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
John Haught, Distinguished Research Professor, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
Mike Higton, Senior Lecturer in Theology, University of Exeter, Devon, United Kingdom
Jesper Hoffmeyer, Associate Professor, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
Stuart Kauffman, Professor of Biological Sciences and Physics and Astronomy; Adjunct Professor of Philosophy, University of Calgary,    Calgary, Canada
Jeremy Law, Dean of Chapel, Canterbury Christ Church University, Canterbury, UK
Harold Morowitz, Clarence J. Robinson Professor of Biology and Natural Philosophy, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA
Rachel Muers, Lecturer in Christian Studies, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
LeRon Shults, Professor of Systematic Theology, University of Agder, Norway
Robert E. Ulanowicz, Professor Emeritus of Theoretical Ecology with the University of Maryland's Chesapeake Biological Laboratory*

Mark Wynn, Senior Lecturer, University of Exeter, Devon, United Kingdom

Scientific Collaborators at the Host Institution, University of Exeter:

J. Littlechild (Professor of Biological Chemistry, Director of Exeter Biocatalysis Centre)*

Z. R. Yang (Senior Lecturer in Bioinformatics)*

John Bryant (Professor Emeritus of Biological Science, University of Exeter, Devon, United Kingdom)

*= joined the project in 2008