Biologist Michael Levin Proposes Non-Physical Patterns Shape Minds and Bodies -- Levin argues that living things (and possibly machines/AI too) aren't fully explained by physics and biology alone. He thinks there's a "space" of abstract patterns — similar to how mathematicians talk about numbers or geometric truths existing independently of any physical thing — and that minds, body shapes, and behaviors are bodies "tapping into" or being shaped by patterns from that space, not just mechanically built from genes and environment.
*Highly recommend you drop this link into Claude and ask for the simplest summary possible (also very cool graphics in the research!)