Richard -- A good question! Note first that my statement is minimalist in
order just to note its large difference from the other two common
conceptions of information.
Now, in order to see that the genetic system would come under this general
usage of information as carrying meaning, we need to stipulate a 'system of
interpretance' for whom genetic information would be meaningful. This we
can assign to the cell. The cell enagages in measurements (semiosis) by
relating to some object (concentration of molecules, or numbers of impacts
with some kind of molecule. Its reaction to this information is to generate
interpretants (production of RNA nucleic acid entities), which induce a
sign (finished mRNA), which acts to feedback on the genetic system by
producing more RNA nucleic acid entities. The triadic relations between
Object, Interpretants and the Sign is formally like perception. The
meaning here emerges during the triadic relations of perception. It is
created by the cell. The difference that makes a difference to the cell is
some marked increase in some molecular species that it can detect as
requiring a response. If I were a cell biologist or 'systems bologist' I
probably could make this reading more detailed.
STAN
>Stan,
>
>Of your three concepts of information:
>
>> >(1) Shannon's information is a reduction in uncertainty or
variety of
>> >possibilities.
>> >(2) In the mathematical sciences, information is any constraint
on
>> entropy
>> >production (which is any event whatever in our universe). It is
>> represened
>> >in constants in descriptive equations.
>> >(3) In semiotics information is Bateson's 'a difference that
makes a
>> >difference' to some system of interpretance, changing ts
behavior.
>
>am I correct in assuming that genetic information is falls under the
>third, semiotic info? If so, this concept seems awfully thin to
>support something so rich and dynamic as an informed genome.
>
>
>Best regards, Richard
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Received on Mon Oct 30 22:36:08 2006
