Information Is (Only) Probability
Is information a real entity, or is it only a useful mathematical notion? Shannon’s equation and a consolidated tradition have led many scientists and laymen to consider information as some kind of physical, additive quantity. The very well-known argument in favour of information as a physical quant...
Main Author: | |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-03-01
|
Series: | Proceedings |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2504-3900/81/1/36 |
_version_ | 1797483180562841600 |
---|---|
author | Riccardo Manzotti |
author_facet | Riccardo Manzotti |
author_sort | Riccardo Manzotti |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Is information a real entity, or is it only a useful mathematical notion? Shannon’s equation and a consolidated tradition have led many scientists and laymen to consider information as some kind of physical, additive quantity. The very well-known argument in favour of information as a physical quantity has not reached any definitive conclusion. Much has been derived from Shannon’s formula, which was introduced to provide a convenient logarithmic measure that might be practically useful and close to most intuitive feelings. Shannon never insisted on the ontological status of information, which might be revealed to be a lot less committing than is often believed. The bottom line is that information might be a convenient mathematical notation to express the probability of independent configurations in a system. |
first_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:43:16Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-1f7f8750b18045398bda800249b67045 |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 2504-3900 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:43:16Z |
publishDate | 2022-03-01 |
publisher | MDPI AG |
record_format | Article |
series | Proceedings |
spelling | doaj.art-1f7f8750b18045398bda800249b670452023-11-23T18:33:01ZengMDPI AGProceedings2504-39002022-03-018113610.3390/proceedings2022081036Information Is (Only) ProbabilityRiccardo Manzotti0Department of Business, Law, and Consumer Behavior, IULM University, 20143 Milan, ItalyIs information a real entity, or is it only a useful mathematical notion? Shannon’s equation and a consolidated tradition have led many scientists and laymen to consider information as some kind of physical, additive quantity. The very well-known argument in favour of information as a physical quantity has not reached any definitive conclusion. Much has been derived from Shannon’s formula, which was introduced to provide a convenient logarithmic measure that might be practically useful and close to most intuitive feelings. Shannon never insisted on the ontological status of information, which might be revealed to be a lot less committing than is often believed. The bottom line is that information might be a convenient mathematical notation to express the probability of independent configurations in a system.https://www.mdpi.com/2504-3900/81/1/36informationentropyShannoncausal overdeterminationreificationontology |
spellingShingle | Riccardo Manzotti Information Is (Only) Probability Proceedings information entropy Shannon causal overdetermination reification ontology |
title | Information Is (Only) Probability |
title_full | Information Is (Only) Probability |
title_fullStr | Information Is (Only) Probability |
title_full_unstemmed | Information Is (Only) Probability |
title_short | Information Is (Only) Probability |
title_sort | information is only probability |
topic | information entropy Shannon causal overdetermination reification ontology |
url | https://www.mdpi.com/2504-3900/81/1/36 |
work_keys_str_mv | AT riccardomanzotti informationisonlyprobability |