SOME PROBLEMS OF SYSTEM DESCRIPTIONS II: INFORMATION
- 1 January 1987
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Taylor & Francis in International Journal of General Systems
- Vol. 13 (2) , 157-171
- https://doi.org/10.1080/03081078708934965
Abstract
The concept of information, as a tool of objective system description, is examined. It is argued that information always has a qualitative aspect which has its origin in the relationship of the observer to the object system. As a consequence, two distinct forms of information, knowledge and action, are identified which are, however, inseparably tied to each other. A definition of information is given, which reflects this property: information is defined here as having two parts, a referential (causative) and a nonreferential (epistemic) part. Characterization of this information and its relationship to functional descriptions is given, together with a few applications.Keywords
This publication has 15 references indexed in Scilit:
- Simple models do not eliminate complexity from the real worldJournal of Theoretical Biology, 1985
- Autogenesis: The evolution of replicative systemsJournal of Theoretical Biology, 1985
- Précis of Knowledge and the Flow of InformationBehavioral and Brain Sciences, 1983
- BRILLOUIN AND THE CONCEPT OF INFORMATIONInternational Journal of General Systems, 1983
- Information—entropy interfaces and different levels of biological organizationJournal of Theoretical Biology, 1980
- The origin of information in systemsJournal of Social and Biological Systems, 1980
- The complementarity principle and the origin of macromolecular informationBiosystems, 1979
- Expanding the categories of feedbackJournal of the American Society for Information Science, 1977
- Aspects of the Clausius-Shannon Identity: Emphasis on the components of transitive information in linear, branched and composite physical systemsBulletin of Mathematical Biology, 1975
- The organization of the living: A theory of the living organizationInternational Journal of Man-Machine Studies, 1975