Sustainable Development Goals
Abstract/Objectives
Contemporary physicists may investigate whether the Schrödinger equation plays a role in the transition from molecular interactions to the emergence of a living organism. However, the properties that define life are not determined solely by bottom-up physical principles. In addition to quantum and molecular dynamics, living systems are shaped by the complexities of thermodynamic laws, which necessitate continuous energy consumption to maintain order and counteract entropy. This course examines the contributions of pioneering physiologists and physicists, including Hermann von Helmholtz, Emil DuBois-Reymond, and Ernst Wilhelm Brücke, who applied an integrative materialist approach to understanding human physiology. By exploring fundamental physiological principles and mechanisms, the course covers topics such as cell membrane dynamics, cardiac rhythms and electrical signaling, skeletal muscle function and force generation, as well as the physiological basis of vision and hearing.
Results/Contributions

Mechanics, electricity, thermodynamics, and fluid dynamics provide a complementary perspective for understanding human physiological systems beyond their anatomical structures, encouraging deeper exploration of their underlying mechanisms. The course focuses on organs and tissues as central study points while adopting a physics-based approach to explain physiological regulatory processes. The goal is to develop a foundational understanding of human physiology by integrating fundamental physical principles, enabling the generalization of key physiological functions and regulatory mechanisms across disciplines.

This course includes a combination of lectures and discussions. Students from diverse academic backgrounds will collaborate in groups, each selecting a physiological phenomenon covered in class to analyze its underlying mechanisms. Groups will present their findings through oral presentations. For the final individual written report, students will further develop their group project topics, expanding their analysis based on their own academic expertise.

Keywords
Physiology, The human body, Biophysics, Entropic force, Bioelectricity, Molecular motor
Contact Information
劉懿璇
ysliu@mx.nthu.edu.tw