Title: Amendable decisions in living systems
Abstract: A distinct feature of living systems is their capacity to take decisions based on uncertain environmental signals. Examples span from the microscopic scale of cells differentiating based on the concentration of a morphogen, to the macroscopic scale of decisions by animals or human beings. The current paradigm in decision theory is based on the assumption that decisions, once taken, cannot be revoked. However, biological systems often amend previous decisions if accumulated evidence favours the alternative hypothesis.
Therefore, we developed an alternative model for decision making that assumes decisions are amendable and explored how this model can be useful in modelling real-world decision processes. I will present in this seminar the theory regarding amendable decisions, and hen two applications: a human decision experiment and cell-fate decisions in early development yielding spatial patterns.