Living Information Technology, The Next Step in Evolution:
Hans Ziock Stirling Colgate
Los Alamos National Laboratory, SDU Life is an Information System • Information is a non-equilibrium state
• By the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics it will decay back to the equilibrium state with a characteristic lifetime
• The ONLY way to prevent this is through replication
• A new definition of information – Something that is actionable – Something that is selected – The selection criterion is that it directly or indirectly contributes to its reproduction • If useful to us, we reproduce it. • If it self-reproduces at a rate greater than its decay rate it is LIFE Information, Metabolism, Container
• Information is the key, but • Without a metabolism (free energy source) one can´t generate non-equilibrium states or “maintain” them
• Without a boundary to reject alternatives and entropy to can´t generate information or – And testing it against the “environment”? The Environment • Initially the physical environment that did the selection until replication with positive growth achieved. – Subsequent diversification into different environmental niches.
• Once the physical environment replication problem solved, the fastest changing part of the environment was the “other” life – An information race ensues
• Driven by 2nd Law which implies there will be errors during replication – Selection is the ability to maintain replication in spite of the other life/information – Implies selection of superior information Knowledge • New information only attained by trial and error. – If already known, then not new. – If not tested, don’t yet know it; not yet selected
• Information gained most rapidly by having the maximum number of trials that are in turn selected – More trials help – Pre-elimination of bad trials help
• Knowledge: Information that we have attained that can be used to limit the number of trials. – Avoidance of bad trials – No longer purely random trials – Our mental capabilities do the above Our limitations/time scales • Neurons are fundamentally switches – Switching speed ≈10–4 –10–3 sec
• Electronic switches – Switching speed ≈10–10 –10–9 sec (6 orders of magnitude)
• Human Fundamental design changes – Generational time scale: 20 – 30 yrs, i.e. 7 × 108 sec – 109 sec – Without genetic engineering, purely random
• Smart Computer Fundamental design changes – Reprogramming time: ≈ 1 sec (9 orders of magnitude) – Will use knowledge to limit trials
• One advantage people still have is population The Future • AI approaching our own capabilities – (In fact we want it too)
• Once equality is achieved, the inherent speed advantages of machines will leave us in the dust