Shu-Kun et al.,
On Aug 31, 2005, at 1:15 AM, Shu-Kun Lin wrote:
> Dear Juan,
>
> I reply my part:
> > Data compressed---seems related to the concept of algorithmic
> > information. But what is the definition of "data"?
>
> What is data? Data are the things which are or can be
> recorded in notebooks, photo plates,
> magnetic tapes or floppy disks, or hard disks, in the amount
> with unit like bytes. If the data can be compressed to a size much
> smaller, we say the original data does not have much
"information".
>
> If there are symmetries in a structure, the data representing that
> structure can be compressed. E.g., a picture has nothing on it
> (white everywhere) has very high symmetry and little information.
My preference is to take the data itself as information. I know that
this view contradicts the view so nicely developed by Shannon and
others that information is in the eye of the beholder, requiring
interpretation and evoked meaning, but this trivializes information
in my opinion. Pattern (non-random configurations of matter/energy)
exists in the absence of an observer, and interpretation can only add
error to the appreciation of that pattern. Of course inductive
inferences about what certain patterns might indicate are very
important in human science, and I would argue also to the functioning
of other sorts of dynamical (self-organizing) systems, but it seems
to me that this process follows the recognition of information
(pattern) rather than constituting information. If it turns out that
there is too much inertia in the interpretation-bound meaning of the
term "information", then I would personally like to see the
development of a term capturing the essence of informational sources
(non-random configurations), because I think this is the basis for
dynamical reactions to external conditions and signal formation by
self-organizing systems.
Regards,
Guy Hoelzer
Department of Biology
University of Nevada Reno
Reno, NV 89557
Phone: 775-784-4860
Fax: 775-784-1302
Received on Wed Aug 31 18:30:11 2005
