Beauty of life in dynamical systems: an aesthetic viewpoint of life

Information plays a key role in life and complex biological systems. It is hypothesized that information processing capabilities distinguish life from other so-called non-living matter. Dynamical systems underlie and can be used to represent many complex life-like systems. Dynamical systems and information processing may be the hallmarks of life-like systems. We combine dynamical systems with a computational framework to generate art. The framework can be used to generate aesthetically appealing forms of life-like systems. Our work suggests that we may need an "aesthetic sense" to recognize life we have never seen before. This aesthetic view also allows us to appreciate the beauty of life-like systems, life-forms around us, and their intimate connections with dynamical systems. This perspective can give us a sense that every part of the Universe computes and that the entire Universe is alive and has intelligence. We hope this will give humanity a new sense of purpose, help us appreciate our place in the Universe and also give a renewed thrust to conservation efforts to save our planet.