Information Theory attempts to quantify and mathematically represent information.

Information can be broken down into the base language of distinction (e.g. one and the other, or zero and one)

There is no universal law that states the universe is distinct; in fact spiritual traditions often point to Non-Dualistic Experience as a state of consciousness in experiencing the universe as one or whole.

Symbols, such as "A" or "1" inherently discretize the world, so that we may be point at a distinct elements and combine logic of those distinct elements.

One simple way of illustrating this:

  • As a child if you get near a bird, you are directly experience the bird
  • However, if your mother sets to stay away from that bird because it is dangerous, you are now are overlaying a "map of information" upon the direct experience of the "territory of experience"
  • This "map upon territory" process that occurs throughout education and socialization can lead to downstream map-territory errors or fallacies Map-Territory Fallacy

However, each time a map is "impressed upon" a person (e.g. one's experience and learnings shaping another's experience of sensory input), information theory goes from theory to instantiated perspective.

The process of Mimetic Diffusion within a Mimetic Marketplace leads to a shaping of the territory, since other agents (with perspectives and "maps" like Left/Right, Liberal/Conservative) are essentially the environment by which a particular person grows and evolves within.

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What is an Information Theoretic Lens on that world and universe from a consilience perspective?

Viewing the world and the universe through an information-theoretic lens, especially from a consilience perspective, involves understanding the nature, dynamics, and complexity of information as a foundational principle that underpins the physical, biological, social, and cognitive domains. This approach integrates insights from various disciplines, aiming to create a unified framework that elucidates the principles governing the emergence, evolution, and organization of complex systems.

Information Theory Fundamentals

Information theory, initially developed by Claude Shannon, provides a mathematical framework for quantifying the information content in messages and the capacity of communication channels to transmit information. In the context of the universe, this framework can be extended to analyze and quantify the information content and transfer in physical systems, biological entities, and even social structures.

  1. Physical Systems: At the quantum level, information is a fundamental component. Quantum information theory extends classical information theory to quantum systems, where information is not just a measure of uncertainty reduction but also a property that is subject to the laws of quantum mechanics. For instance, the concept of quantum entanglement can be seen as a form of information linking the states of particles across distances.
  2. Biological Systems: In biology, information plays a critical role in the structure and function of living organisms. Genetic information stored in DNA, the signaling processes within and between cells, and the neural information processing in brains are all pivotal areas where information theory provides insights into the mechanisms of life.
  3. Social and Cognitive Systems: Information theory applies to the analysis of language, communication, and cognition. It offers tools to understand how information is encoded, transmitted, and decoded in social interactions and how this process influences behavior, knowledge dissemination, and cultural evolution.

Consilience: Integrating Knowledge Across Disciplines

Consilience, a term popularized by E.O. Wilson, refers to the unity of knowledge, the principle that evidence from independent, unrelated sources can converge on robust conclusions. Applying an information-theoretic lens from a consilience perspective involves synthesizing insights from physics, biology, cognitive science, and social sciences to build a coherent understanding of how information fundamentally shapes the universe and our experience within it.

  1. Unified Principles: Searching for universal principles of information that apply across different domains is a key goal. For example, the concept of entropy, pivotal in thermodynamics, also plays a crucial role in information theory and can be applied to understand disorder, complexity, and information processing in various contexts.
  2. Complex Systems: Information theory provides a framework to study complex systems, which are prevalent in nature and society. By analyzing how information flows within and between the components of a system, one can gain insights into the system's dynamics, stability, and evolution.
  3. Emergence and Evolution: Information-theoretic perspectives can offer explanations for the emergence of complexity and order in the universe, from the prebiotic chemistry leading to life to the evolution of complex societies and technological systems.
  4. Interdisciplinary Dialogue: Promoting a consilience approach encourages dialogue and collaboration across disciplines, fostering a holistic understanding of complex phenomena. It involves integrating methodologies, concepts, and frameworks from various fields to address fundamental questions about the nature and role of information in the universe.

In essence, an information-theoretic lens on the world and universe, informed by a consilience perspective, seeks to unravel the tapestry of existence by understanding information as a fundamental essence that permeates and connects the various domains of reality. It's an endeavor to construct a grand narrative that not only describes but also explains the intricate dance of matter, life, consciousness, and society through the universal language of information.

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