Philosophy: Philosphy of Information Fakultt 13, Hochschule
Mnchen, Wintersemester 2012-2013 Information: Brcke zwischenJos
Mara Daz Nafra (Universidad de Len, Spain) 4. Mrz 2011
Informationsphilosophie. Information und urbanes Systeme 1
A General Understanding of Information 1. Groundings
[Monday-Tuesday] a) The information age and the language of
information (historical perspective) b) The Frame of the
Mathematical Theory of Communication c) Semantic information 2.
Information throughout the ladder of complexity [W.-Th.] a)
Physical information b) Biological Information c) Human information
(life-world, cultural-world) 3. General Theories of Information
[Th.-Fr.] a) Broadening the mathematical information concept
(complexity theory) b) Situation theory c) Information in a
nutshell: GTI, UTISS 2012 A General Understanding of Information
2
The origins of the information concept Latin and Greek roots
Material information case (Hefestos) Observation case (Subject)
Speaking or Instructional case (communication) Platos Forms
Otherworldliness Digital communication model Aristotles Inductions
Form (actuality) and Matter (potentiality) The individuality of
real things. Particular form: essences General essences: being of
species that can be inductively graspedSS 2012 A General
Understanding of Information 3
Bibliographic tips FLORIDI, L. (2010). Information. A very
short introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press. DAZ NAFRA,
J.M. (2011). Messages in an open universe. in Capurro, R. and
Holgate (eds.). Messages and messangers. Angeletics as an approach
to the phenomenology of of communication. Munich: W.Fink, 195-229.
DIAZ NAFRIA (2011): Information, a multidimensional reality, in
Curras and Lloret. Nuria LLORET(2011). Systems Science and
Collaborative Information Systems. Hershey PA, USA: IGI Global
HOFKIRCHNER, W. (2010). Twenty Questions About a Unified Theory of
Information. Arizona: Emergent publications. LYRE, Holger (2002).
Informationstheorie. Eine philosophisch- naturwissenschftliche
Einfhrung. Munich: W.Fink Verlag. BURGIN, M. (2010). Theory of
Information. Fundamentality, Diversity and Unification. Singapore:
World Scientific Publishing.SS 2012 A General Understanding of
Information 4
Bibliographic tips DAZ NAFRIA, J.M., et al. (Koord.) (2010).
Glossarium BITri: glossary of Concepts, metaphors, theories and
problems concerning information. Len: Universidad de Len [online
http://glossarium.bitrum.unileon.es/glossary,
http://wp.me/pzKNC-66] DAZ NAFRA, J.M. (2010). Information: a
multidimensional concern. TripleC, 8(1), 77-108 [online
http://triple- c.at/index.php/tripleC/article/view/76/168]. DAZ
NAFRA and SALTO (2009). What is information? An interdisciplinary
approach. Special issue TripleC, 7(2) [online
http://wp.me/pzKNC-2G].SS 2012 A General Understanding of
Information 5
Invitation to Complementary ActivitySocial networks:from
indignation to change(ethical, political and aesthetical
aspects)21-23.09.2012 in Len, SpainCooperation:Universidad de Len
HM UTI RG MUSACWith: Prof. R.E. Zimmermann (HM) Prof. J.M. Daz
Nafra (ULE) Prof. P. Fleissner (TUW), et al.Certificate of
assistance, Credits: 1 ECTS, No evaluationSS 2012 A General
Understanding of Information 6
I. Groundings (the development of the information
understanding)0. Towards a general understanding of information1.
Development of the information concept: Plato, Aristotle, Middle
Ages, Modernity, (technique and physics)2. General understanding of
Information3. Mathematical Theory of Communication4. Algorithmic
Theory of Information5. Information in the sciencesSS 2012 A
General Understanding of Information 7
0. Towards a General Understanding of Information In the
Information Era we should be able to understand what really
information means (Comparison to the Iron Era, iron vs cupper) The
Nature of information is not solved Information can be considered
as something mediating between Objects and Subjects To this end, a
general understanding of O. & S. is also needed.SS 2012 A
General Understanding of Information 8
I.0 Information concept (tangible) Information Time t1 t2 t3
Object: In opposition to the Subject Subject of the change of the
changeSS 2012 A General Understanding of Information 9
(0) Information concept (immaterial) Time Information t1 t2 t3
Object: In opposition to the subject of Subject of the change the
change (awareness) (in the awareness)SS 2012 A General
Understanding of Information 10
(0) Clarifying Form: a particular configuration/Gestalt
produced in the subject. Subject: System which can adopt potential
changes Object: what remains stable (in front of the subject)
causing the changes in the subject ~ Model Time: Run of the
procedure (i.e. change of the subject) O. vs S.: In strict sense,
both sides change during the process (O. & S. are only relative
regarding the corresponding change)SS 2012 A General Understanding
of Information 11
(1) Evolution of the information concept (a) Plato vs.
AristotlePlato (idealistic tradition) Form is what exists in the
first place and it is out of the world, otherworldliness
(a-spatial, a-temporal). Forms are participated by appearances
(phenomena) and souls. By these means the observer can really
recognize the forms. The innate ideas must be awaken (the observer
recognizes what already was in his soul). The observer returns to
the truth, slept within himself.SS 2012 A General Understanding of
Information 12
Plato: World of forms Form Appearance I Ideas Observer
Decontextualizing: Die existing Forms belong to the
otherworldliness (a- spatial, a-temporal)SS 2012 A General
Understanding of Information 13
Plato and Signal Theory From the viewpoint of the modern signal
theory (Digital Transmission): Ideal of transparence Si Si Compared
with Si {S1, S2, SN} {S1, S2, SN} NoiseSS 2012 A General
Understanding of Information 14
(b) Aristotle Form: embrace the essential properties of a thing
Matter: embrace the potential changes Every thing has its own form,
its own essence, which correspond to its being. The reality of a
thing relates to its details, its differences (dish in Plato and
Aristotle) There is a general being, which corresponds to the being
of the species. One can inductively recognize them by
observation.SS 2012 A General Understanding of Information 15
(c) Information concept (Middle ages)Augustine of Hippona:
Credo ut intellego Truth Revelation Requirement: God Noiseless
Belief channelsAnselm: Fidens quarens intellectum endeavor towards
understandingAquinas: Reality is understandableHermeneutic:
Activity of Interpretation, Imagination-AbilitySS 2012 A General
Understanding of Information 16
(d) Information concept (Modernity) Reformation and
Enlightenment received significantly the clarity and transparence
of Augustine (transparency unmediated, No distance) Physics in that
time had control over space, but not over time -until 19.Century-.
Newton: Absolute, true, and mathematical time, of itself, and from
its own nature, flows equably without relation to anything
external. (Scholia to the definitions in PN-Principia Mathematica,
Bk. 1, 1689) Time was left free to philosophy, where it was not
considered as an independent concept, but as something inherent to
processes (Leibniz, Kant, Heidegger, Bergson).SS 2012 A General
Understanding of Information 17
(e) Modern Communication theory The most important difference
between early and modern telecommunication concerns transmission
speed. Until end of the 19th c. I-transmission was understood as an
immediate event: The time of the transmission process disappears.
The mediating space correspondingly disappears, One can only speak
of the process of the E. and R., which must be synchronized.SS 2012
A General Understanding of Information 18
XIX C. Physics Late 19th Century Physics (e.g. Maxwell)
understood the being of time as attached to processes: Entropy
represents the irreversibility of processes (Time: inevitable and
unidirectional run of the processes) Physics of fields understood
Processes in Space & Time > Change in the understanding of
EM transmissionSS 2012 A General Understanding of Information
19
Mathematical Theory of Communication (Shannon) Original Decoded
message Codified message Message Emitter Coder Channel Decoder
Receptor Noise Noiseless Channels (magische Kanale)This viewpoint
(and alongside the oblivion of space) have many consequences inthe
actual game of the globalization:1. It technically enables the run
of the economical processes at the international level.2. It
technically enables the hiding of power relations.3. Instead of
facilitating social achievements, the power constellation
(economical domination) can easily reconfigure the network of
economic agency.SS 2012 A General Understanding of Information
20
I.1(g) Computer technique and Cybernetics, 20th C.1940s
Pioneering work of Alan TURING, J. VON NEUMANN1950s Machine-model
of neuronal systems (McCULLOCH et al.): Connectionism40s-60s First
Cybernetics (N. WIENER, R. ASHBY) and System Theory (L. von
BERTALANFFY, CHURCHMANN)60s-70s Artificial intelligence (NEWELL,
SIMON, MINSKY): Symbol Processing (z.B. LISP) > MACKAY60s-80s
Codification and Pattern recognition (KOLMOGOROV, SOLOMONOFF,
CHAITIN): Theory of complexity and Algorithmic Information
Theory1970s- Second Cybernetics (MATURANA, VARELA, van FOSTER) and
complexity theory (MORIN, ZIMMERMANN) SS 2012 A General
Understanding of Information 21
Aspects of a general understanding of information Semiotic:
Theory of signs and symbols (Morris, 1938) The Syntax concerns the
occurrence of individual information units and their mutual
relations. The Semantic concerns the meaning of information units
and their mutual relations. The Pragmatic concerns the effect of
information units and their mutual relations.A complete
understanding of information unfolds in thedimensions: Syntax,
Semantic and PragmaticSS 2012 A General Understanding of
Information 22
I.2. Aspects of a general understanding of information Timely
aspects of information (Weizscker): Actual: already present and
effected information Potential: the possibility to obtain actual
information.Namely, the difference between past and future is
grasped bythe information concept.Actual information exists
factually, whereas potentialinformation exist only in relation to
possibilities.Therefore AI can be regarded ontologically, whereas
PI isintrinsically relational.SS 2012 A General Understanding of
Information 23
I.2(a) Syntax and Probability I = - ld p = - log2 p Extensive
measure: I-Content of a dual system: I(cont) = I(1) + I(2)
Probability & potential syntactic information are equivalent
concepts for the quantification of possibilities. The concept of
probability can be regarded as a sub-concept of a general
information concept.SS 2012 A General Understanding of Information
24
(I.2.a) Example: information measurement through unveiling a
card 32 Cards: 8 cards / type (clubs, spades, hearts and diamonds)
1-8 Clubs 1-8 Spades 1-8 Hearts 1-8 Diamonds Mnimal # of questions
in average- for yes/no answers Q1: Black? A1: No Q2: Heart ? A2: No
Q3: > 4? A3: No Q4: > 2? A4: Yes Q5: 4? A5: Yes SS 2012 A
General Understanding of Information 25
I.2(b) Semantic and Pragmatic The necessary entanglement of
semantic and pragmatic aspects of information within
semantic-pragmatics offers the possibility to an objectification of
semantics. Context always presuppose context, I. always presuppose
I. Information exist only relative in respect to a difference
between 2 semantic levels. The philosophical key issues in the
research of the I- concept concern the epistemological and
ontological aspects. Both questions are actually interdependent.SS
2012 A General Understanding of Information 26
I.3. Telecommunication Information theory Shannons
Information-Entropy Ii=- log2pi P={1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/8 }; Dice p1=p;
p2=(1-p) Theory of codification In order to transmit the maximal
amount of information content in the minimal time: Redundancy-free
Source (Morse, 4 symbols ex.) Huffman method: lk~Ik, Prefix-feature
SS 2012 A General Understanding of Information 27
I.3. Telecommunication Information theory Firstness
(Erstmligkeit) and Confirmation The word information, in this
theory, is used in a special sense that must not be confused with
its ordinary usage. In particular, information must not be confused
with meaning In fact, two messages, one of which is heavily loaded
with meaning and the other of which is pure nonsense, can be
exactly equivalent, from the present viewpoint, as regards
information... In the theory of communication, information relates
no so much to what is said but to what could be said. information
is a measure of the freedom of choice communicators have when they
select a message. (Weaver) The telecommunication I-Theory treats
Information under syntactical aspectsSS 2012 A General
Understanding of Information 28
I.3 Telecommunication Information theoryIs there information
without confirmation? Phenomenon, manifestation underlying reality
Perception, stating that something is the case requires
confirmation A confirmed phenomenon provides no information
Information Shannon (MTC) Pragmatic-semantics 0 1/2 1 Confirmation
(Redundancy) 1 0 Firstness (Novelty)SS 2012 A General Understanding
of Information 29
I.4. Semantical approach to InformationGDI (data + meaning) is
an instance of information (understood as semantic information) if
and only if 1) consists of n data, for n1 2) The data are well
formed 3) The wellformed data are meaningfulDd datum X being
distinct from y, where x and y are 2 uninterpreted variables and
the relation of being distinct as well as the domain are left open
to further interpretation.SS 2012 A General Understanding of
Information 30
I.4. Semantic approach to InformationEnvironmental information
2 systems a & b coupled in such a way that as being F is
correlated to b being G, then carrying the information for the
observer of a the Information that b is G.Factual semantic
information p qualifies as factual semantic information if and only
if p is (constituited by) well-formed, meaningful and veridical
dataSS 2012 A General Understanding of Information 31
I.4. Algorithmic Information Theory The algorithmic information
content is a measure of the syntactical diversity or complexity The
very shortest description: Ialg(s)=L(pmin s) Differences with the
shannonian concept: 1. Syntactic vs. Minimal complexity as usage of
that semantic providing a minimal syntactic effort. 2. Potential
vs. Actual Information 3. Objective vs. Relative quantitative
concept: Complexity in relation to regularities that are readable
from a selected semantic space. The algorithmic I-content measures
actual I. under both syntactic and semantic aspects. It represents
no absolute quantity but a relative one. It is not computable, i.e.
it is related to subjects.SS 2012 A General Understanding of
Information 32
I.5. The information concept in the sciences Symtem theory
(Bertalanffy, Wiener) S.S. (Luhmann), B.S. (Maturana u. Varela) Th.
of open systems (Weizscker) Linguistics (Chomsky, Eco) Economy (N.
Georgercu-Roegen)SS 2012 A General Understanding of Information
33
I.5. The information concept in the sciencesSS 2012 A General
Understanding of Information 34
I.5. The information concept in the sciences Objective or
subjective? Relational concept, Subjective Ontological category
dependent on: concept independent Subjectivity or Intencionality
Release Uncertainty, Interpretable mechanism probability Measu-
Structure Structure and and Abstract General Human rement and
process behaviour, generating Evolution Theory of Ciber- Objective
ntics Dependent of Information Biology Objecti- Semantic Maturana,
Varela General Algorithmic Unified Wiener MTC Theory of Information
Theory of vised Theories of 2nd O. Cibernetics V. Foerster
Relevance Stonier Karpatschof Gnther Measure Theory Information
Seman- Information Cognitive Decision T. Gitt tics (Activity
Dretske Racionality T. ment Inf. Hermeneutics Shannon Theory)
Capurro Weaber v. Neuman Solomonoff Hoffkirchner Weizscker
Bar-Hillel & Carnap Situational Intersubj. Knowledge Kolmogorov
Fleissner Brillouin Lyre (Quantic T. of Inf.) Barwise, Perry, Oeser
Chaitin Fenzl Mhler Matsuno (Diacronic I.) Seligman, Israel Lazlo
Truthfulness Brier (Cibersemiotics) Floridi mental Difference
Flckiger Selfreferent. Sist T. Luhmann Cognitive ScienceSS 2012 A
General Understanding of Information 35
I.5. The information concept in the sciences Syntactical
Semantic Pragmatic Syntactical How is it expressed? What does it
represent? Is it true? What value does it have? How is it
expressed? MTC (Shannon, Logical empiricism (Bar-Hillel,
Algorithmic Information Theory (Solomonoff, Kolmogorof, Chaitin)
Weaver) Carnap) Holographic Universe Cognitive constructivism
Theory of purpose-oriented action (Janich) (Bekenstein) (Dretske)
Quantum Theory of Information Situational semantics (Barwise,
Perry, Aesthetic Theory of Information (Bense, and Measurement
(Lyre, Seligman) Moles) Mahler) Fuzzy semantics (Zadeh, Activity
Theory (Karpatschof) Prez-Amat) Theory of Self-referential Systems
(Luhmann) Objectivised semantics (Weizscker, Lyre) Theory of
Objective Information (Stonier, Gitt) Unified Theory of Information
(Hoffkirchener, Fleissner, Fenzl, Lazlo, Brier,)SS 2012 A General
Understanding of Information 36
II. Information in the physicsIt is still not a physical
concept as E, M, S, TCentral role?1. Thermodynamics Principles (1.,
2., 3.)2. Field theory Appearance and Perception3. Quantum theory
Measurement theory4. Space-time Theory Relativity theory, Quantum
GravitySS 2012 A General Understanding of Information 37
II.1 Thermodynamics1. Entropy and 2nd Principle (1., 2., 3.)
Principles dS = Qrev/T, dS 0 Qirr irreversible Processes BOLTZMANN,
MAXWELL, GIBBS: phenomenologic- macroscopic Th.
microscopic-mechanical BOLTZMANN (1896): Entropy as quantitative
concept: S = k B ln p S = k B piln pi Information entropy and
thermodynamic entropy are formal identical. Both quantities are
equal, if one considers Entropy as potential Information, as
quantity of the number of possible micro- states in a
macro-state.SS 2012 A General Understanding of Information 38
II.1 Thermodynamics2. Maxwells Daemon The molecules have the
same different average speed average speedSS 2012 A General
Understanding of Information 39
II.2 Field theory (natural limits of information) Nature loves
to hide Heraclitus of Ephesus Bounding surface Structure of the
phenomenon 2 2 1 r, t r, t S 2 2 v t D Observed reality (Object)
Observer (Subject) Arbitrary complexitySS 2012 A General
Understanding of Information 40
II.2 Field theory (natural limits of information)Phenomena
Wavefunction 1 1 G ( u 1 , v1 , x n , y n , z n ) N N fn n fn T f
wo n n 1 n 1 M M G (u M , v M , x n , y n , z n ) Source: (Real or
predicted equivalent)What is the complexity of the
phenomenon?Namely, haw much information does it convey?1) The
solution is univocal only for a discrete projections over a given
bounding surface.2) The details are regularly distributed (~/2)3)
The highest gathered information does not Bounding surface (Huygens
Principle) depend on the accuracy of the observation but on the
dimension of the ( a2)SS 2012 A General Understanding of
Information 41
II.2 Field theory (natural limits of information) Observation
domain z 1) The field of an arbitrary structure is computed
Arbitrary on an observed domain. structure 2) From this observation
a projection over the perfect polyhedron is determined. 3) The
field of both the original structure and the E projected in the
prediction domain are equal. a EDomain of Domain of
observationprediction x y Polyedron of projectionUniqueness
solution for the selected projection distribution 1 f Projection [T
T ] T OBS/ min d T f Projection , OBS f Domain of prediction
Trans-Operator: f SS 2012 A General Understanding of Information
42
II.2 Field theory (natural limits of information)
Trans-Operator: s Projection-Operator: sSS 2012 A General
Understanding of Information 43
II.3 Quantum theory (Limits of information) It is possible to
speak of potential and actual (Weizscker) ZeitSS 2012 A General
Understanding of Information 44
(II. Appendix) Perception: Consequences ofthe physical limits
in the human perception a) regular hole or irregular coloured b)
irregular protuberance or regular protuberance coloured hole The
preferred perceptions tend to be those corresponding to the
simplest configurations (Ockams razor)SS 2012 A General
Understanding of Information 45
(II. Appendix) PerceptionExamples of ambiguos perceptionSS 2012
A General Understanding of Information 46
(II. Appendix) PerceptionSolution of ambiguities Initial
hypothesis G1-1 G2-1 G3-1 GN-1 k k k k k Ob{ 1 } Ob{ 2 } K{ s } Ob{
3 } Ob{ N } G1 G2 k k 1 G3 GN d {s , s } N N N f , 1 ... NSS 2012 A
General Understanding of Information 47
III. Information in BiologyThe actual decoding of human genome
brings inbiology the information theoretical aspects to thefore1.
Genetics Theory of heritage, Molecular-biology2. Evolution theory
Appearance and PerceptionSS 2012 A General Understanding of
Information 48
III.0 Historical remarksDarwin: tiny germs / mutations Galton:
lineages (used in ontogenesis)Mendel (1856): a carrier for every
individualcharacter Correns, Tschermark, and de Vries rediscover
the heritage theory, Molecular biologyMiescher (1869): nucleotide
of cell kernel (DNA).Mller (1925, Mutations of Drosophila)Bateson:
Genetics, Johannensen: GenSS 2012 A General Understanding of
Information 49
III.0 Historical remarksAvery (1944): Transformations as f(DNA)
Hershey and Chase: experiment with bacteriophagusSchrdiger (1944):
a-periodical crystal Watson and Crick: Nature of the DNA
MoleculeNot the chemistry of the DNA but the molecular
structure:Information theoretical paradigmSS 2012 A General
Understanding of Information 50
III.1 Genetics Transcription Translation DNA RNA Polypeptid
Replication Since discovery of Retrovieren Central dogma of the
molecular biology 4 Bases: (A) Adenine, (G) Guanine, (T) Thymine,
(C) Cytosine Chargaffs rules: {A & T}, {G & C} equivalent
molar amountsThe DNA heritage-molecule represents in its
nucleotide-structure a genetic code i.e. syntactical information-
for theproduction of RNA and Proteins.SS 2012 A General
Understanding of Information 51