The article consists of two parts. The first part - overview of approaches (mainly discrete) to mathematical modeling in biology. It are describes the classical neural networks McCulloch-Pitts and their connection with the theory of automata, perceptron, models in biology based on homogeneous structures (self-reproduction and configuration of 'Garden of Eden', the excitation wave pattern in the heart muscle), divergent evolution and modeling of the tree of evolution on the basis of weighted graphs , and etc. The second part - a review of the work on mathematical modeling of the elementary rational activity in animals, that was studied at the Department of Physiology of Higher Nervous Activity Biological Faculty of Moscow State University. This work was done in collaboration biologists with the school of discrete mathematics and mathematical cybernetics represented in the faculties of Mechanics and Mathematics and Computational Mathematics and Cybernetics.

mathematical modeling in biology, mathematical biology, mathematical modeling, mathematical theory of intelligent systems

Mathematical problems and theory of numerical methods