The Semantic Sphere 1: Computation, Cognition and Information Economy

Chapter 2

The Nature of Information

This chapter aims to establish a unity of nature based on the concept of information, and in particular to show the ultimate unity of mind and matter. It is organized into five sections. Section 2.1 presents a synthetic image of this “information nature” as a general orientation. Section 2.2 presents the information paradigm and provides a history of the scientific concept of information. Section 2.3 describes the hierarchy of levels of complexity in information nature: the physical, biological and cultural realms are interpreted in terms of layers of encoding. Section 2.4 deals with evolution through the successive appearance of different layers of encoding. Section 2.5 concludes the chapter with a discussion of the unity of nature. It shows how a system of calculable semantic coordinates would make it possible to include human culture in a unified nature that lends itself to scientific investigation.

2.1. Orientation

The purpose of this section is to situate the semantic sphere on a general map of information nature and thus introduce the reader to this concept. Precise definitions will not be provided here – they will gradually be added subsequently – but rather, a preliminary reconnaissance, an overall orientation. As I see it, the nature of information is structured in successive layers: from quarks to atoms, molecules to organisms, nervous systems to phenomena, and symbols to concepts. But instead of starting from atoms to arrive at concepts, ...