At Mind Matters News: Information theory: Evolution as the transfer of information

Information follows different rules from matter and energy, which might change the way we see evolution:

A new model of evolution relies on information theory, which is itself interesting because information is governed by different rules from matter and energy. For example, it is created by ruling out possibilities, it is relational, not causal, and it is not reduced by being shared. It is also immaterial. For example, Einstein’s bomb equation, e = mc2, had a huge impact on the world but by itself, it is an immaterial idea.

Information can be stripped of all matter and appear in a variety of media: I could phone and tell you the winning lottery number or send you an email or a letter about it or discuss it on radio or TV. Vastly different material media; same information.

Reinterpreting evolution as a transfer of information will lead to both different questions and different answers.

The authors of the paper, marine researcher Rasmus Skern-Mauritzen and forester Thomas Nygaard Mikkelsen make clear that they understand information to be immaterial.

News, “Information theory: Evolution as the transfer of information” at Mind Matters News (May 29, 2022)

The is open access.

Takehome: A pair of researchers have introduced an Information Continuum Model of Evolution (ICM) which takes into account the fact that information is immaterial.

You may also wish to read: Why AI can’t save us from ourselves — if evolution is any guide Famous evolutionary theorist E. O. Wilson’s reflections help us understand. If selfishness and a sense of superiority are really the driving force of humanity than AI could only be a source of problems. (J. R. Miller)

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