What's transmitted? Inherited information.

Commentary on Bergstrom and Rosvall, 'The transmission sense of information', <em>Biology and Philosophy</em>. In response to worries that uses of the concept of information in biology are mataphorical or insubstantial, Bergstrom and Rosvall have identified a sense in which DNA...

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Xehetasun bibliografikoak
Egile nagusia: Shea, N
Formatua: Journal article
Hizkuntza:English
Argitaratua: Springer 2011
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Gaia:Commentary on Bergstrom and Rosvall, 'The transmission sense of information', <em>Biology and Philosophy</em>. In response to worries that uses of the concept of information in biology are mataphorical or insubstantial, Bergstrom and Rosvall have identified a sense in which DNA transmits information down the generations. Their 'transmission view of information' is founded on a claim about DNA's teleofunction. Bergstrom and Rosvall see their transmission view of information as a rival to semantic accounts. This commentary argues that it is complementary. The idea that DNA is transmitting information down the generation only makes sense if it is carrying a message, that is to say if it has semantic content.