A
fundamental generalization of information and computation
广义信息计算观--即“物质信息”和“物质计算”引出的另一种自然观、生命观和宇宙观
--- Another perspective of understanding the nature world and the
universe
丰恺
2002，11公布于潜科学网站
1.
“Matter-Info” and “Matter-Computing”:
The
past and modern science and technology had given us a more and more
clear
picture of our nature world and the universe:
“It
is a vast time-space with non-stop moving Matter and Matter-Reaction. ”
It
is a materialistic point of view, and form the fundamental base of human’s
understanding
of the Matter World, even our life systems are made of Matter.
But
, after ten years of learning and working in Computer and Networks area,
I suddenly brainstormed some ideas
which can give me another way of viewing the nature world and the universe, a
way lead to: “Another
perspective of understanding the nature world and the universe.”
It should be based on a refreshed
understanding or a
Hypothesis (A):
a)
The Matter is the Information – a < Generalized Information >,
b)
The Matter-Reaction is the Computation – a < Generalized Computation >
I
know there is a famous saying in the history of Cybernetics and Informatics:
“
Information is Information , neither Matter nor Energy. ”
From
my view, the “Information” here means a sort of “Specialized
Information”.
To
distinguish the meaning of “Information”
respectively , I need two names.
For
< Generalized Information > , it is named as “ Matter-Info ”;
For
< Specialized Information >, it
is named as “ Specific-Info ”;
Similarly,
I view the traditional computation way as “Specialized Computation”.
To
distinguish the meaning of “Computation” respectively , I also need two
names.
For
< Generalized Computation > , it is named as
“ Matter-Computing ” ;
For
< Specialized Computation >,
it is named as “ Specific-Computing ”.
So
the four related names together will give us convenience for future discussion.
2. Generalization
of Information and Computation :
“Information”
is not a virtual object that can exist alone without “Matter/Energy”,
“Matter/Energy” is the material
media / carrier of “Information”
, this is the material
characteristic of “Information”. Vice versa , “Information” is the
content
over the material media /
carrier based on from “Matter/Energy”,
this is the
informational
characteristic of “Matter/Energy”.
So
what the “Matter-Info” means is the “Matter/Energy” itself, reflecting
the two sides
of
the mutual related characteristics between “Matter/Energy” and
“Information”.
And
the “Matter-Computing” is the reflection of the behaviors between
“Matter-Info”.
Therefore,
we can make some conclusions for next step discussion.
There
are 2 types of “Specific-Info”:
a)
Description type: which is based on the pattern
structure of “Matter-Info”.
b)
Reaction
type: which is based on the “Matter-Computing” of
“Matter-Info”.
In this
theory, the “Matter-Info” and “Matter-Computing” form the two
fundamental
properties
of the Nature World and the Universe, they are the basic characteristics.
“Information
” is everywhere, “Computing ” is everywhere in the Nature Universe,
they are
“Matter-Info” and “Matter-Computing” working together for evolution.
The rules
controlling the two properties’ working are the rules of the Nature Universe.
And some
of them are already transferred into our Human Beings’ symbolized
knowledge
System such as Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Sociology and Technologies.
We are already familiar with the highlights on
the newspaper, broadcasts on TV and
pictures/texts on our computer display, or the
messages in the mail/email letters.
They are the “Information” that we can
understand. These kinds of “Information”
should
be viewed as a special subset of “Specific-Info” named as
“Protocolized-Info”.
Which
means such kind of “Information” is already “coded” into the target
system.
The
source system and target system are all understanding the exchanging signal.
In
general, Human Beings’ civilization is just a set of
“Protocolized-Info” systems,
which
is inherited through human society and evolve from generation to generation .
3. Generalization of
Life and Computer:
What is
life? Is it a living object made up
of organic and inorganic substance ?
What is
life system? Is it a group of
living objects with some close co-relations ?
Is there
a Generalization of life system and computer?
Yes , we can try to make it.
Hypothesis
(B):
Generalized
Life (System) : Any “Matter-Info” System with a Life-Span Evolution.
Generalized
Computer (System): Any “Matter-Computing” System of “Matter-Info”.
Therefore,
we can find names: “Matter-Life”
and “Matter-Computer” respectively.
A
“Matter-Life” is a “Matter-Computer” named
“Life-Computer”.
Then we
have some understanding Questions:
a)
Is a Human Body a perfect-designed “Intelligent Machine” of
“Life-Computer” ?
b)
Is the Nature World or Planet Earth’s Ecosystem a well-created huge
“Matter-Life”?
c)
Is the Nature World or Planet Earth’s Ecosystem a distributed
“Life-Computer”?
d)
Is the Universe a long-term life-span, rule-based-organized, giant
“Matter-Life”?
e)
Is the Universe a large-scale, super-massive, non-stop and Huge
“Life-Computer”?
The
vision contained in above questions will lead you to some special understanding
of our
Nature World and the Universe. This is why I have a sub-title of the paper.
It is
like a philosophy approach on the first sight, but it will be beyond philosophy
later.
I will
show you why the view points in such kinds of questions are far more interested.
4. Some further
discussions questions in different areas:
From
a philosophy point of view, the world things are all connected and correlated
with
each other, there always be a particular reason for a specific result. I accept
such
a
perspective and believe that all the knowledge disciplines divided by human will
be
integrated
under an “Unified Theory of Everything”, because they are parts of a whole.
So,
I am so much concerned about the amazing similarity between different
disciplines.
Inspirations
from different science and technology areas help me in dipping into such
special
thinking of “Information”, “Computation” , “Life” and even “Human
Society”.
1)
The first area is Biology and Biotechnology:
The DNA
carries the genetic information and is capable of self-replication and synthesis
of RNA.
The sequence of nucleotides determines individual hereditary characteristics.
The
“Human Genome Project” will figure out the genes information code embedded
in
the human
chromosomes. The “Human Brain Project ” is also starting focusing on the
Neuroinformatics.
The Clone Biotechnology is focusing on the clone of organ and body.
But
what I want to discuss here is somewhat different:
a)
Can we take the Genes Information Code as a kind of “Life-Matter-Program”?
Such
kind of “Life-Matter-Program” can be used to control the life
characteristics
through
“Life-Matter-Computing” at the atomic and molecular level in cell space.
b)
Can we take the Human Body as a perfect complex intelligent machine with
input
and
output interfaces? for example, we can see, listen, smell or taste
“Matter-Info”,
we
can eat and drink with foods and water, which
are also a kind of “Matter-Info”.
It
is a “Life-Machine” as usual machines and can be duplicated if you know how
to.
c)
Can we take the Human Brain as a 3-Dimension , solid-paralleled
“Matter-CPU” of
the
intelligent “Life-Machine” as human body or in other word a
“Life-Computer”?
2)
The second area is the Information Technology(IT):
There is
an interesting translation of word “Computer” into Chinese called
“DianNao”,
which
means “Electronic Brain”. This is really a perfect imaginative
interpretation.
We need
draw an analogy between them. Let us have a look of the 20 years’ evolution of
Intel-based
PC. The CPU had changed form 8088, 80X86 series to Pentium series . Even
though
the power of CPU double every 18 months according to the Moore’s Law, the
oldest program code running on a 4MHz 8086 CPU, can still be run on the most
latest
2GHz
Pentium4 PC. This is called “Compatible” or “Binary Compatible”. These
kinds
of
“Compatible PC” are called “PC clones”. Does this sound interesting?
So,
a)
Can we take the CPU’s “Binary Instruction Set” as “Genes” of a
specific CPU ?
b)
Can we take the “Binary compatible ” as “Binary Inheritance” of
the CPU Genes?
c)
Can we take the PC’s memory and storage system as Human Brain’s
Memory ?
d)
Can we take the software running on a PC as the “Mind and Soul” of PC
?
e)
Can we take the “Spirit Soul” as the “Software” and “Human
Body” as “Hardware”
of
a type of “Life-Computer”. So, different persons with different capabilities
is just
like
that we have installed and run different software in the different PC machines ?
f)
We had already taken the self-replicated “Program Code” as
“Computer Virus”,
which
sometime can cause computer system malfunctions,
just like the real “Virus”
causing
diseases of human body or other life body.
Let us
have another look at the computer networks or the Internet. Large amount of
different
types of computers were connected into a large-scale communication system.
They are
using identical network protocol (e.g. TCP/IP) to exchange data messages and
control,
thus creating a large-scale, distributed, powerful computation environment.
Just like
the famous slogan from SUN company : “The Network Is The Computer.”
a)
Can we take the “Network Protocol” as a “Language” between
connected computer?
b)
Can we take the “TCP/IP” as an universal “Language” of Computer
Network World
just
like the “English Language” of Human Society World?
c)
Why does “Ether Net” technology survive and still progress, while the
Token-Ring,
FDDI,100VG-AnyLAN
and ATM are all facing difficulties in competition? It is also
because
of the “Compatible”, which means “Inheritance” in the network evolution.
To
summarize, the IT achievements have so many “Copy” from the developments of
human
life. It seems that there are some similar rules in their respective evolution
path.
If we
take the Human Body as a “Life-Computer”, the Human Society as a distributed
“Life-Computer”
Network System. We can make some trends prediction according to
the
gained development knowledge from one side to another. For example, in Human
Society,
the team work is more efficient and powerful than individual one. In computer
world,
the high-available clustered computer system will be more powerful than single.
3)
The third area is the Quantum Information and Computation:
Information
is physical, and computation obeys physical laws. The elementary classical
bits
0/1 of information must be represented in physical media to be stored and
processed.
It
is well known that the traditional computer system’s hardware is based on
silicon and
semiconductor
technology. The speed of the CPU’s clock rate is increasing rapidly and
will
be finally reaching the Physics Limitation within decades. Scientists and
technologists
are
thinking other ways of computation, e.g. the optics computing, the biology
computing.
And
the “Quantum Information and Quantum Computation” is also another branch
way.
Information
is recorded in the exact quantum state microscopic systems such as polarized
photons
or atoms, and allowed to evolve according to the laws of quantum mechanics,
some
novel kinds of information transmission and processing become possible.
All
of the frontier ideas are indicating that the fundamental essence of the
traditional
information
is just stored as a stuff of “Matter/Energy” with specific state
representing a
bit
of 0/1. No matter how tiny this
stuff of “Matter/Energy” is , even it is just a general
quantum,
it is still a “Matter/Energy” based storage space,
this is what we named
“Specific-Info”
previously. And we take the “Matter/Energy” itself as
“Matter-Info”.
The
Physics law “Conservation of Energy” turns to be “Conservation of
Matter-Info”.
So,
same way for the fundamental essence of traditional computation. It is also
based on
“Matter/Energy”
stuff with Physical reactions called “Specific-Computing” in this way.
It
is based on “Matter-Computing”. Physical laws are still controlling the
computation.
The
more rapid advance of IT and related technologies, the more close we will
approach
to
the essence of what the Traditional Information and Computation is . Which in
turn,
can
help to give us better understanding of the Nature World and the Universe.
The
forth area is the development of Economic and Human Society:
Economists
and Sociologists give a evolving path of the Human Economy and Society.
a)
Economy: Agriculture -> Industry
-> Post-Industry->
Information …
b)
Society: Agriculture
-> Industry -> Post-Industry->
Information …
For
many years, there is a saying that the Human Society is entering Information
Society.
We
will focus discussion on the evolution principle we can find and use it to
predict future.
A
theory named “Holographic-Cosmology” gave some principles about evolution,
one of
the
key rule is the : “Holo-Re-evolving” , which means “A holographic element
of a system
will
holo-re-evolve the evolution path of the whole system in a short-form time
period .
E.g.
The human body is developed from a tiny human oosperm within about 8-10 months.
And
this period of time, is just a compressed version of the evolving history of
human life
from
single-cell to multi-cells embryo.
The
world economics is globalizing continuously, different nations are more and more
closely
connected through economic trade. The world telecommunication networks and
computer
internet link the vast majority of world people to work and live together
online.
Some
learner take these inter-networked computer systems and people as “Global
Brain”.
It
do give an indication of a fresh new perspective of the human society and the
ecosystem.
a)
Can
we take the Nature Planet Earth Ecosystem a “Huge-General-Life” ?
b)
Can
we take the network optical fiber and copper lines linking together as a special
kinds
“Digital Nervous System” of the “Global Brain” or
“Huge-General-Life”?
c)
What
is the new evolution rules for such a “Huge-General-Life” ?
It
perhaps will last for decades to give a complete and clear answer of such
questions.
It
will depend on some fresh new advancement of all disciplines especially in the
areas of
Systemics
, Cybernetics, Informatics. I am so happy to learn and work in these areas.
5.
Another type of unifying base of all disciplines :
“Matter-Info-Computics” :
If
we accept the above “Matter-Info” and “Matter-Computation” Hypothesis A
.
We
can reach a conclusion that for different level of “Matter-Info” system
structure:
From
quarks to atoms, from molecules to lattice , from inorganic to organic DNA
genes,
from
cell to human body, from individual to family and society, from planet to
galaxy,
from
universe to super-cosmos which we are still researching and seeking. The more
complex
the structure of “Matter-Info” system, the more advanced rules controlling
the
“Matter-Computation”
of such a system. But no matter how complex and advanced it is,
It
is still based on the very basic rules of the existing
“Matter-Info-Computation”, one of
the
rule is “Duplication” either in spatial and in temporal, which cause
“Matter Moving”,
“Electro-Magnetic
Fields Transferring” , “Gene Replicating” and “Weapon Making”, etc.
All
the human knowledge system gained until now, is just a kind of human understand
“Specific-Info”
system which is just a true reflection of the real working way of our nature
world
and the universe. Compare with the large amount “Matter-Info” which our
human
beings
still do not observe, touch and feel, in which there are stored much more
unknown
knowledge
to us, what we have build for our human versatile disciplines are just pieces of
several
human “Specific-Info” knowledge system such as Physics , Chemistry,
Biology…,
which
will be finally unified under an Universal Theory called
“Matter-Info-Computics”.
This
is perhaps another name of “Unified Theory of Information” approaching same
goal.
We
had already accumulated many rules controlling the “Matter-Info-Computics”
in
respective
disciplines, and will continue our work from generations to generations.
Human
science and technology are progressing to the gate of “Matter-Computation”
Age, I am sure that 10 or 20 years later, as the achievements made from all
areas especially in
Biotechnology
, we will be more and more clear about what the “Matter-Computation” is.
It
is the most common and fundamental behaviors of our Nature World and the
Universe.
6. A
potential link bridge between Religion and Science and Technology :
We
can derive a interesting “Guess” from the “Matter-Info-Computation”
hypothesis.
There
are “God Programmer” who are programming the Nature World and Universe.
If
we take the DNA Genes as a type of “Matter-Program”; if we take Human Body
as
a
perfect “Life-Computer”, you have to ask that who are making the
“Matter-Program”
and
who are programming our body structure and our life ,or even the whole world ?
Is
there a kind of “Advanced -Life” who “live” in another layer of universe
?
Is
the fictitious “Foreign Life” from UFOs or other planets a sort of
“Advanced-Life”?
Is
what Science knowledge and Religion knowledge are the two sides of the real
universe?
Is
the human individuals’ fate and destiny are also “Programmed” by
“Advanced-Life”,
Is
such “Advanced-Life” had programmed all the “Hidden Order” of present
world?
Is
such “Advanced-Life” under the control of Gods or beyond Gods ?
There
will be even more questions , and we have to continue our work on such a topic.
7.
From
Philosophy to Ethics
As
the power of the electronic computer increases, will it be more intelligent than
human?
This
is a challenging question. Though the IBM Deep Blue win the chess game with the
famous
opponent. People still do not believe the computer will be smarter than human.
So
do I. It is because the human brain is still the most economic and
environment-friendly
intelligent
information processing “Machine” ever found in the nature world we know.
Human
had learnt more knowledge from our nature life world for science and technology.
This
progress will be continuing in a more modest and respectful way. We need to
learn
how
to balance between the “Inheritance” and “Innovation”, we should take
good care of
the
utilization of technology we are ready to use. We care more about other type of
lives.
Nowadays,
we all understand the protection of environment is the protection of ourselves.
If
you take the Earth Ecosystem as a “Huge-Life”, then our human people are
just a type
of
“Sub-Life”, so hurting the “Huge-Life” is hurting the “Sub-Life” of
ourselves.
It
may be “Nonsense” to “Human Scinece” or “Common Sense” of the
“Nature Science”.
United
Nations advocate the sustainable development for long time, it is a real
evolution
principle
with easy understanding, because it is a quite natural way to evolve, a life
way.
We
should cherish the nature way in our daily work,
it tends to be a sustainable way.
We
should cherish the life we live as a “Sub-Life” of our Nature World’s
“Huge-Life”.