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logiques du vivant

English translation: living things and systems

19:02 Mar 6, 2014
French to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - Social Science, Sociology, Ethics, etc. / Biology
French term or phrase: logiques du vivant
Part of a paper (FR to EN UK) I am translating is about societal transformation on the basis of "le paradigme scientifco-technique".

It gives a list of impacts or consequences, one of which is as follows:

"Compréhension des logiques du vivant qui favorise leur saisie technique via les biotechnologies et en particulier le développement de la biologie de synthèse"

I understand that the biologist François Jacob wrote a seminal book called "La Logique du Vivant" (singular), "The logic of Life" in English, and wonder if the phrase is (always) a reference to this work? Also, when used in the plural, as here, does anyone have any experience/idea of how it could be translated?

I hope I've given you enough information. Thank you in advance.
Joanna Coryn (X)
France
Local time: 12:58
English translation:living things and systems
Explanation:
"An understanding of living things and systems that favours a technological approach through biotechnologies and in particular the development of synthetic biology"

I take "les logiques du vivant" as simply picking out the object of the life sciences - living things and systems. I don't think "logiques" needs a specific translation: by definition science considers the "logique" of its objects, ie how it works, and it's more than clear that this is about living things as scientific objects.

It seems to be a familiar comment on the disjunction/ethical problems with living things/systems and the technico-scientific paradigm, especially with the emergence of things like genetic engineering (part of synthetic biology).









Selected response from:

Melissa McMahon
Australia
Local time: 20:58
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +2living things and systems
Melissa McMahon
3the principle of living things
B D Finch
3biological concepts
Francis Marche
3the logics underpinning living things
Jenefer Bonczyk
2genomic imperative
DLyons


Discussion entries: 3





  

Answers


2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5
genomic imperative


Explanation:
Obviously, a very non-literal translation. But, if I'm understanding the text, this is more-or-less what's intended. See e.g. "The Selfish Gene".

DLyons
Ireland
Local time: 11:58
Native speaker of: English
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
living things and systems


Explanation:
"An understanding of living things and systems that favours a technological approach through biotechnologies and in particular the development of synthetic biology"

I take "les logiques du vivant" as simply picking out the object of the life sciences - living things and systems. I don't think "logiques" needs a specific translation: by definition science considers the "logique" of its objects, ie how it works, and it's more than clear that this is about living things as scientific objects.

It seems to be a familiar comment on the disjunction/ethical problems with living things/systems and the technico-scientific paradigm, especially with the emergence of things like genetic engineering (part of synthetic biology).











Melissa McMahon
Australia
Local time: 20:58
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 28
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Jocelyne S: I've often used "living beings" or "living matter" for "le/du vivant", too.
17 hrs
  -> Thanks Jocelyne!
agree  John Holland
225 days
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
the principle of living things


Explanation:
References Aristotle. (Or "the life principle" if you prefer Madam Blavatsky.)

green.wikia.com/wiki/Life‎
... the principle of living things that causes them to function as a living thing. ..... the broad redefinition and expansion of biotechnology, with the ultimate goals of ...

www.softmachines.org/wordpress/?cat=1&paged=2‎
The principle of living things as being autonomous agents – able to sense .... the biological realm, as demanded by biomedicine and biotechnology, presents a ...

article.wn.com/.../LabCentral_Signs_New_Agreement_in_Support_of_Li...‎
4 Dec 2013 - ... of Organic and Biochemistry"; BIO120 "Introduction to Biotechnology"; ..... he used the term to mean the principle of living things that causes ...



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Note added at 4 hrs (2014-03-06 23:43:50 GMT)
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Note that the title of the article in the 2nd citation above is "What would a truly synthetic biology look like?" The "principle of living things" seems to be frequently associated with synthetic biology. Unfortunately, it is also associated with some religious pseudoscience.

B D Finch
France
Local time: 12:58
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 78
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6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
biological concepts


Explanation:
Why not make it simple ? After all, "Logiques du vivant" is only a catch phrase in French.

Francis Marche
France
Local time: 12:58
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 2
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12 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
the logics underpinning living things


Explanation:
In a sociological text I translated I originally put 'reasoning' for every mention of 'logiques' to be told by the sociologist that logic and logics were acceptable terms in the social sciences. I think you can have multiple logics that underpin how biological life functions.

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Note added at 12 hrs (2014-03-07 07:58:26 GMT)
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'logics underpinning biological life'

Jenefer Bonczyk
France
Local time: 12:58
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  B D Finch: Yes, "logic" and "logics" are acceptable terms in social science, but in this case I think "logique" is better translated as "principles" because "logics" are rather less substantive and more hypothetical.
2 days 3 hrs
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