Dear Mark! Dear Pedro! Dear colleagues! D. Doucette (2010) has defined “Science of Information”. If we want to create “Science of Information” we must use single, unified, unique definition of “information” concept.
I suggested this definition (Gurevich, 1989). “Information is heterogeneity, stable for some definite time”. Regardless of the nature of heterogeneity, would be it letters, words, phrases or - elementary particles, atoms, molecules, or - people, groups, societies, etc. The measure of the degree of heterogeneity or information is Shannon's information entropy (Shannon, 1948) and other information characteristics (information divergence, joint entropy, communication information, differential information capacity). The proposed definition and the Shannon information entropy and other information characteristics can describe information (heterogeneity) of any nature. The rationale of this single definition of information can be based on the laws of development (evolution) of the Universe. >From 13,7 ± 0,13 billion years ago to 3.8 billion years ago (about 10 billion years) there was no life in the Universe. There was information only in the form of physical heterogeneity. Its existence does not depend on Existence of Observer. Heterogeneity (elementary particles, atoms, molecules, …) possess certain information (and physical) characteristics, properties (information properties of the first order), in particular they contain certain volume of information. Interaction of heterogeneities leads to change of their information characteristics. Existence of Observer (José María Díaz Nafría, 2010) can give (heterogeneity) new properties to information (information property of the second order) – Perception, Memory, Formation (Creation), Consciousness, Thinking, Imagination, Mind, Intelligence, Knowledge, Cognition, Representation, Content, Meaning, Value. ... Observer appeared (very approximately) some billion years ago and gave new properties (information properties of the second order) to information in the form biological – heterogeneity, created by life – Perception (3.8 billion years ago), Memory, Formation (Creation), Consciousness, Thinking (200 million years ago), Imagination, Mind, Intelligence, Knowledge, Cognition, Representation, Content, Meaning, Value. ... (some million years ago), … Now Observer is forming a hierarchy of information properties of the following orders. Information properties of the first level impose fundamental restrictions on information characteristics of the second level: restrictions on a memory size and productivity of information systems, perception of the natural (physical, chemical and biological) systems of the Observer. Estimates of information volume in atoms, amino acids, nitrogenous bases, differential information capacity of usual matter, are determine the fundamental limits on information capacity storage devices. The difference between the energies of the basis states of hydrogen atom, considered as a q-bit, impose fundamental limitations on the speed of computing devices. Quite recently the author has learned that Ursul A.D. as early as 1968 in his book “Nature of Information. Philosophic study.” had given the definition of information close to the above-mentioned: “… Information is variety which one object contains about the other (in the process of their interaction)… But information can be also considered as variety which can be the result of an object’s reflection of itself, that is self-reflection……Information expresses the property of matter which is universal.. The concept of information reflects not only objectively real property of inanimate and animate objects of nature, society, irrespective of the subject but also the property of perception and thinking… The new synthetic discipline which is uniting the physicist and information theory was given the name «Physical Informatics». Physical Informatics is modern Science of Information in Physical and Chemical Systems, including Quantum Informatics, and is the basis of Informatics of the Living Systems. Using the above-stated definition of the information, properties of information, we can answer Burgin's questions (1-Yes, 2-No, 3-Yes/No) and create science of information. Sources: Doucette D. (2010). “Challenges for Those Constructing a Science of Information as an Evolving Unique Discipline”. Fourth International Conference on the Foundations of Information Science: Towards a new science of information (FIS 2010), Beijing, China, 21-24 August 2010 (2010) Gurevich I.M. (1989). Law of informatics - a basis of researches and designing of complex communication and management systems. (In Russian). «Ecos». Moscow 60 p. Gurevich I.M*. *(2010). «The informational characteristics of physical systems». 2 issue (In Russian). «Сypress*». *Sevastopol. 260p. http://www.ipiran.ru/gurevich/Gurevich_info_charasteristics_rus_book.pdf. José María Díaz Nafría, Mario Pérez-Montoro. (2010). Is information a sufficient basis for cognition? (Part 2). http://www.sciforum.net/presentation/364. Shannon C.E. (1948). A Mathematical Theory of Communication // Bell System Technical Journal. Т. 27. pp. 379-423, 623–656. Ursul A.D. Nature of the information: the Philosophical essay. Moscow. Political publishing house. 1968. 288 p.
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