title: Replication in abstract and natural systems.
abstract: Real reproducing systems are contrasted with cellular automata-based models of self-reproduction. It is argued that the reproduction described by the latter is trivial compared to its biological counterpart. The paper explores a few reasons and consequences of this situation, along with a discussion on different forms of the basic reproduction (and construction) process.
mesh_terms: D008433:Mathematics; D008954:Models, Biological; D012098:Reproduction