Chapter 5
Epigenetics as boundary weighting (not sequence change)

DNA replication preserves the informational structure required for life to continue across generations.
Rather than simply duplicating molecules, cells copy organised sequences that guide biological development and function.

This chapter explores DNA replication as a coherence-preserving process in which genetic structure is reproduced with remarkable precision during cellular division.

The DNA template acts as the reference structure for accurate genetic replication.
Cellular systems protect and stabilise this template to ensure reliable transmission of biological information.

This chapter examines how maintaining template integrity preserves genetic boundaries, allowing organisms to sustain continuity of structure across successive generations.

Replication is not perfectly error-free, yet living systems possess mechanisms that detect and repair mistakes during DNA copying.
These repair processes maintain the fidelity of genetic information over time.

This chapter explores error correction as a recursive enforcement of biological constraints, ensuring that deviations from the expected genetic structure are identified and corrected.

Occasionally, changes occur within genetic sequences that alter the informational structure carried by DNA.
Some of these mutations are neutral, while others affect biological function or evolutionary pathways.

This chapter examines mutation as a perturbation of genetic coherence, introducing variation that can reshape biological systems over time.