ASA PSCF Discussion » Randy Isaac http://www.asa3online.org/PSCF A members' forum for discussion of PSCF articles Fri, 18 Nov 2011 22:46:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 en hourly 1 Information, Intelligence, and the Origins of Life http://www.asa3online.org/PSCF/2011/11/18/information-intelligence-and-the-origins-of-life/ http://www.asa3online.org/PSCF/2011/11/18/information-intelligence-and-the-origins-of-life/#comments Fri, 18 Nov 2011 22:46:57 +0000 Randy Isaac http://www.asa3online.org/PSCF/?p=351 by Randy Isaac The term “information” has a connotation of knowledge in the midst of ignorance, an order that arises amid disorder. Information exists everywhere around us, and we spend our lives acquiring, storing, transmitting, and processing it. Yet it is hard for us to define or describe it, in part because the word can be used . . . → Read More: Information, Intelligence, and the Origins of Life]]> by Randy Isaac
The term “information” has a connotation of knowledge in the midst of ignorance, an order that arises amid disorder. Information exists everywhere around us, and we spend our lives acquiring, storing, transmitting, and processing it. Yet it is hard for us to define or describe it, in part because the word can be used in so many different ways. In this article, four main categories of usage of the word “information” are explored, paying specific attention to its relationship to intelligence. Thermo- dynamics includes information on all possible physical microstates; capacity of information refers to the maximum number of physical states possible in a system corresponding to pre-established conventions; syntax refers to the particular physical state of that system at a point in time; semantics are the meaning, function, or significance of that physical state. Living systems, in particular, are complex information systems. A look at how living cells process information provides some clues, but not yet a solution, to the mystery of the origins of life.

PSCF 63, no. 4 (2011): 219–30

]]> http://www.asa3online.org/PSCF/2011/11/18/information-intelligence-and-the-origins-of-life/feed/ 11 Welcome! http://www.asa3online.org/PSCF/2009/12/30/welcome-2/ http://www.asa3online.org/PSCF/2009/12/30/welcome-2/#comments Thu, 31 Dec 2009 02:38:20 +0000 Randy Isaac http://www.asa3online.org/PSCF/?p=13 Welcome to the ASA PSCF Discussion, a group blog of ASA members. The intent of this blog is to provide a forum for thoughtful dialog and analysis of various articles published in our journal, Perspective on Science and Christian Faith. ASA members who have an ASA Online password are automatically registered and can submit comments to . . . → Read More: Welcome!]]> Welcome to the ASA PSCF Discussion, a group blog of ASA members. The intent of this blog is to provide a forum for thoughtful dialog and analysis of various articles published in our journal, Perspective on Science and Christian Faith. ASA members who have an ASA Online password are automatically registered and can submit comments to any posts after logging in. ASA members may register for a password. Moderators may remove all but the most relevant and helpful comments that reflect all sides as fairly as possible. Please review the blog policy for more details.

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