  Living systems are hierarchical control systems that display a small world
network structure, in which many smaller clusters are nested within fewer
larger ones, producing a fractal-like structure with a power-law cluster size
distribution (a mereology). Apart from their structure, the dynamics of living
systems also shows fractal-like qualities: the timeseries of inner message
passing and overt behavior contain high frequencies or states (treble) that are
nested within lower frequencies or traits (bass), producing a power-law
frequency spectrum that is known as a state-trait continuum in the behavioral
sciences. Here, we argue that the power-law dynamics of living systems results
from their power-law network structure: organisms vertically encode the deep
spatiotemporal structure of their (anticipated) environments, to the effect
that many small clusters near the base of the hierarchy produce high frequency
signal changes and fewer larger clusters at its top produce ultra-low
frequencies. Such ultra-low frequencies produce physical as well as behavioral
traits (i.e. body plans and personalities). Nested-modular structure then
causes higher frequencies to be embedded within lower frequencies, producing a
power law state-trait continuum. At the heart of such dynamics lies the need
for efficient energy dissipation through networks of coupled oscillators, which
also governs the dynamics of non-living systems (e.g. earthquakes, stock market
fluctuations). Since hierarchical structure produces hierarchical dynamics, the
development and collapse of hierarchical structure (e.g. during maturation and
disease) should leave specific traces in the dynamics of nested modular systems
that may serve as early warning signs to system failure. The applications of
this idea range from (bio)physics and phylogenesis to ontogenesis and clinical
medicine.
