3. Information systems and their
properties.
In the beginning there was a word.
In the beginning of 40-ies American engineer and
mathematician Clod Elmwood Shannon has created the mathematical theory, which
his followers named as the theory of the information, and critics asserted,
that it is a theory of information transfer. Works of American scientist
Norbert Vainer, the founder of cybernetics have appeared approximately at the
same time. The new point of view on problems of management, processing and
transfer of the information has given a powerful push to development of means
of processing of the information. In 50-s the information "boom"
began in the world. The special sciences and theories, completely devoted to
transfer and processing of the information, synthesis of systems and algorithms
of management were created. Such names of outstanding scientists as R. Bellman,
À.N. Kolmogorov, L.S. Pontryagin and others worked in those times. For 20-30
years a huge computer industry appeared in the world, which has designated new
era of mankind - era of the information. The capital enclosed in sphere of
manufacture of information products, means of processing of the information and
communications, produces a profit, comparable with trade profit of power
resources and weapon. In the nearest future profitability of these spheres will
rise repeatedly, and the turnover will exceed all optimistic expectations.
There is an intense struggle for the information now.
Its value for the people is defined by the thesis: " who owns the
information - owns the world! ".
The word "information" occurs from Latin
word "informatio" - explanation, statement. The standard definition
to "information" probably does not exist. This concept is very wide and strongly abstracted, and thus its
large universality is defined. Strongly abstracted concepts are always
universal, and therefore are applicable at the description of a wide spectrum
problems. If to concretise the concept, it loses the universality and become
narrow.
Investigating the nature of the information it is
possible to allocate some forms, in which the information can exist. Let's
consider, for example, only six various forms of the information, which have the certain differences. It is possible
to allocate and to detail much more forms, but we shall limit statements up to
six, for the brevity. Let's name these forms of the information:
The elementary information (information existing in
the form of elementary particles);
The chemical information (existing, in the form of
chemical substances);
The genetic information (information existing in the
form of genetic objects);
The computer information (information existing in the
form of software);
The written information (information existing in the
form of written and printed products etc.);
The sound information (information existing in the
form of the sound messages).
Let's name set (or multitude) of objects of one form
of the information as concept " information system " (in abbreviated
form IS). Then by the concept "information", is possible to designate
the invariant objects belonging to certain set of information systems. The
information is a substation (object) independent from a choice of information
system. This definition is based on that fact, that the same information can be
submitted as a set of various objects of various information systems. For
example, the number "one" can be displayed as a symbol "1"
in symbolic IS, in writing IS as a character set, which looks like
"one", in acoustic IS it is a set of sounds. Despite of the various
physical form, all these objects will display general and independent from the
physical form the concept "one". It is necessary to recognise, that
the given definition of the information, certainly, is not complete, as it is
impossible to concretise strongly abstracted concept without its distortion.
Using the limited set of concepts, forming definition of the information, it is
possible to give only approached image of this concept. All this book is
devoted to its concrete definition.
Except for the forms of information existence it is
possible to allocate two statuses of the information - active and passive.
The active information (or information in an active
status) is everything, that forces the objects of informational systems to
cooperate among themselves. An example of the information in an active status
is the computer program co-operating with elements of the computer and other
programs, working in it.
Under concept of the passive information (or
information in a passive status), we shall understand object or set of objects
of some information system which is not co-operating with other elements and
objects of information system. The computer program written down on a magnetic
disk of the winchester and which is not working in the computer at the given
moment can be an example of the information in a passive status. It is possible
to say, that till the operator (as the external information system) will not
give the appropriate command the computer, this information does not exist for
him. He does not perceive her in any way and can find out her existence, only
having undertaken special actions on the operator command or some program. In
special cases we shall name a passive status of the information as
"formal".
By virtue of the given above definition of information
systems, it is obvious, that there is a multitude of information systems in
nature, and only small part of these IS is created by a human civilization.
Some IS consist of a subset distinguished IS. For
example, the written information includes a set of high-grade written
information systems of various languages. In its turn, each of these IS
consists of IS set, concerning to various spheres of activity of a human
civilization, for example, mathematical IS, poetic IS, prose IS etc., which
differ from each other enough to be identified to some attributes.
All information systems have the following common
properties.
1. The information of every concrete IS contains on a
concrete carrier and defines properties of this carrier. The properties of the
carrier determine the form of display (performance) of the information.
So the information of elementary IS contains in the
device of elementary objects of the microworld. It is a subelementary level of
interaction.
The information of chemical IS contains in the device
of atoms of chemical substances and structure of chemical connections. It is possible
to consider, that it is formed at an elementary and spatial - temporary level.
The information of genetic IS placed in the device of
biological molecules, biological codes, genes etc., i.e. she is coded in
structures of a molecular level, formed by atoms of chemical substances.
The information of computer is placed in the
microcircuits, is written down on laser and magnetic disks and records, she
contains in a spatial connection and temporary interaction of elements of the
computer, i.e. contains on macromolecular and objective level.
The information of writing IS contains in the form of
marks, spatial figures of the special form, associatively connected to the system, of sounds and
concepts, which are associatively connected to objects of an environment too,
i.e. it (information) is formed on associative and macromolecular "object-subjective" level.
The information of acoustic IS contains in frequency
and peak modulation of mechanical waves, i.e. is coded at a wave level.
2. The information systems are quantum formations.
The primary elements of information systems can be
called quanta. This primary elements are created from elements of the senior
information systems. Quantum of one information system usually can not be
created from other quanta of the information system or its objects. The
interaction of different IS quanta can be given by other information object of
this IS.
Quanta of information systems in our example are:
Elementary IS - three fundamental fields: electrical,
magnetic and gravitational;
Chemical IS - elementary particles;
Genetic IS - atoms of chemical substances;
Computer IS - bits of the information ("0"
and "1");
Writing IS - letter (from 16 letters up to several
thousand hieroglyphs in different alphabets);
Acoustic IS - sounds, as frequency-modulated fragments
- sound images of the letters.
3. The objects of information systems are formed of
quanta of information systems.
Quanta of information systems form the following
objects:
Elementary IS - elementary particles;
Chemical IS - atoms of chemical substances,
macroobjects, planets, stars, galaxies etc.;
Genetic IS - biological substances, protein (albumen),
biological objects, biocomputers and biorobots, reasonable essences etc.;
Computer IS - programs, languages, operational
systems, shells, documents, multimedia structures, databases etc.;
Writing IS - words, languages, documents, masterpieces
of science and culture, databases etc.;
Acoustic IS - words, languages, sound documents and
products.
The properties of IS quanta completely determine
properties of IS objects. And the properties of IS objects completely determine
properties of IS.
4. All kinds of information objects of all forms of
the information can be under certain conditions:
Can be copied;
destroyed by decomposition on quanta;
changed as a result of interaction with other
information objects or structures.
5. Associative and straight line of interrelation of
information systems.
Between all kinds of the information there is a certain
interrelation carrying either direct, or associative character.
The direct interrelation of IS takes place in a case,
when the IS quanta of one type (affiliated IS) consist or are constructed from
objects of other type (parental IS) and thus principles of coding of the
information of two IS either are identical, or critically do not differ.
In these cases the objects of one IS can function and
cooperate with objects of another IS. For example, man, as the object of
genetic IS co-operates with objects of an elementary, chemical and computer
nature and thus creates new objects of these IS and co-operates with them.
The associative interrelation takes place, when the
quanta of two various information systems are constructed on critically
distinguished principles of the information coding. For example, different
languages, various carriers (magnetic and wave), different operational systems.
At associative interrelation, the objects of one IS
can not cooperate with objects of another IS without direct and return
transformations which are carried out with the help of additional (third) IS.
For information systems there are no objects of other information systems not
co-operating with them. The object "à1" of system A, not co-operating
with object "à2" of the same system, can be considered as an object
which is taking place in inactive (or passive) status in relation to object
"à2", even if at this time objects cooperate with other objects of
this system. In most cases return statement is correct too. Hence, not
co-operating objects exist in the formal (passive) form for each other.
6. About transformation of the information as objects
of one IS to objects of another IS.
The properties of the information in most cases allow
to transform one kind of the information to another (or to reflect objects of
one IS with the help of another IS objects). For such transformation it is
necessary to have the information about principles of coding (construction) of
transforming information systems.
The objects of information systems can be reflected
with the help of other IS objects only with the certain degree of accuracy,
i.e. with deformation and distortion.
If the objects of reflecting IS have less dimension
than reflected objects, the irrevocable loss of the information is probable.
Thus a part of the information, as a rule, is lost. Reflections of IS objects
with the help of other IS objects of equal dimension are also possible, as a rule, with the certain
incompleteness, which depend on distinctions of quanta properties of both IS.
The reflections - transformations of objects of information systems are
probable in any direction.
For example, with the help of computer and writing
information systems it is possible to reflect any physical laws of nature as
mathematical models of various adequacy. Thus, the more IS quanta will be
similar to quanta of reflected IS, the less information will be lost as a
result of reflect and the more exact will be the image.
It is necessary to recognise, that objects of one information
system can be reflected as objects of other information system, and should
exist one or multiple-valued dependencies (mechanisms, means) for realisation
of direct or return transformations (reflects) - encoder of the information.
If so, any object of one information system can be
reflected as object of any other information system with the help of the
special procedures of transformation (reflect, coding).
If between two IS there is an associative connection
only, the information reflections of primary IS objects, created in other
secondary IS, lose the influence properties on objects of primary information
system. So the mathematical models of elementary IS objects, realised in
computer, can not cooperate with objects of elementary system (with elementary
particles and fields) without return transformation with the help of the
executive devices controlled by the computer.
If between two IS there is a direct connection, the
information reflections of objects in primary IS, created in other secondary
IS, can influence both objects in primary IS, and on objects of secondary IS.
So the genetic objects are genetic reflection of some
physical objects and their properties. For example, it is possible to consider
interaction of cells or cell's membranes with molecules of substances as
genetic reflection of interaction of elementary objects, for example, electrons
with quanta of electromagnetic radiation, fields or some elementary particles.
This property of information systems determines a
highly effective method of research of nature by supervision and logic analysis
of similar natural phenomena. As a rule, it is always possible to find
observable display of any researched process in nature.
7. Kinds of the information
The information, which is reflected by any IS can be
conditionally divided into three kinds:
The code (program) information - methods of status
change of quanta of reflecting IS and construction of her objects.
The base of concepts - set of objects of one IS
associatively connected with objects of another IS (for associatively connected
IS). The base of concepts contains in memory of associate, using two
associatively connected IS.
Objective information - database about concrete
objects of various IS, expressed with the help of displaying IS objects.
The concepts differ from the data by the greater
generality of definitions and minimal degree of a concrete definition. In
general division of the information into 3 kinds is rather conditional, since
all these kinds intersect.
8. Power processes at reflection and interaction of
information systems.
At reflection or interaction of information systems,
"energy" as criterion of "value" of formed information is
expended on or produced for the certain kind of information space. For example,
the product of science or culture can have the larger value, than casual set of
words of the same volume. The combination of molecules as ATF acid under
certain conditions and at the certain moments of time can have greater
"value" for cells (objects of this space), than set of the same
molecules of the same quantity, but connected with each other in space by other
image, or set of the same molecules ÀÒF in the same kind, but at other moment
of time ("spoon is desirable to dinner" - an old russian proverb says).
Hence, the objects of information systems can
cooperate among themselves, forming the new information with new value of
criterion of internal value - "energy".
9. About probable isolation of hierarchical structure
of information systems.
The information systems are unequal, because have
various "force" and priority, i.e. they are hierarchical. For
example, IS can be parental and affiliated, appeared from elements of parental
IS. So genetic IS is affiliated in relation to chemical and elementary etc.
All set of information systems reflects objects
created by other IS, with the help of the images created from their own
objects. Besides, the information systems are capable to create and to reflect
their own objects, i.e. objects created from quanta of given IS.
So the objects of writing and computer IS are created
with the help of biological IS objects - people. And the objects of biological
space are, in their turn, created at the expense of interaction of chemical and
elementary IS objects.
Following the principles of analogy and cycle
(isolation) of all temporary processes, which take place in our universe, it is
possible to assume, that the objects of our elementary information system are
created by objects of some previous preinformation system, created by objects
of prebiological or precomputer IS - by our reasonable predecessors. Thus, the
idea of the God is quite logical, and the first words of Bible: " In the
beginning there was a word " have the deepest sense. Idea that our world
is created for us on our image and similarity - is old as the world and, very
probably, is correct.
10. The information systems have their own time.
The objects of information systems (OIS) can be in an
active and passive status.
In an active status the OIS cooperate among
themselves, for example, objects of elementary IS, genetic IS, computer IS
(programs).
The interaction of IS objects results in their change.
The sequence of changes of information systems derives the own time of every
IS.
It is possible to consider the minimal observable
interval of time between two any real changes of system of interactions
(information system) as its own quantum of time (or real quantum of system time). To determine duration of
time quantum of one IS is possible only
through observing her from another IS, thus the duration of time quantum in
observable IS will be expressed in terms of measurement of time accepted in
information system of the observer.
In a passive status the IS objects can not cooperate
and remain constant with a course of time of other system (for example, the
written or printed products do not change, in spite of the fact that their
readers grow old and the paper, on which they are printed, is decomposed).
1. The information systems form their own space.
Any information system can be characterised by amount
of objects of this IS. The objects set in one information system forms space of
this IS. It is possible to define a part of information system space, occupied
by some object of this IS, as volume of this object.
If the amount of IS objects is finite, the space of
this IS will be finite.
At the expense of IS objects' duplicating, the IS
volume can increase, and IS extends.
If an IS volume decreases as a result of destruction (death)
of IS objects, then IS volume decreases.
If IS volume, expressed, for example, in total
quantity of quanta in given IS, we accept for volume of its space, it will be
possible to speak about definition of "sizes" of information space in
given IS. The dimension of one IS can be expressed only at her supervision from another IS, which can cooperate with it
(differently, supervision will be impossible) in comparison of her objects with
objects of the observer's information system.
12. Information mechanism of IS interaction and
transformation.
If the information system is active, she carries out
active interaction with primary information system around, reflecting her. Thus
all components of this information system are reflected on appropriate (or close)
components of parental information system.
The information interaction of systems at their mutual
reflection is carried out under the laws of information interaction, which will
be considered in the following book sections.
13. Hierarchy of IS reflection.
If multitude of information systems is hierarchical,
the younger information systems should be not only constructed from objects of
the senior information systems, but also in their constitution they should
reflect the construction of quanta and objects of the senior IS. Hence,
studying properties of more accessible IS, and understanding the fact, that
these properties should have the original in IS of the senior hierarchies, it
is possible to receive the good tool of nature research.
14. The properties of IS quanta define all properties
of IS.
All IS properties are incorporated in properties of IS
quanta. Let's consider, for example, quantum of computer IS as a bit, which can
change so, that his value will be equal to logic "1" or to logic zero
This fundamental property of computer IS quanta forms
all other rules of her objects construction completely. The properties of IS
objects, created from these quanta - programs, operational systems, languages,
completely determine properties of macroobjects and actually all properties of
every concrete IS.
Precisely the same occurs in genetic IS. The
properties of its quanta - chemical molecules - define properties of its
protein connections' objects and their ways of interaction with objects of an
environment.
15. At occurrence of complex objects, the missing
information can turn out at their interaction with objects of other IS
(principle "of a snow-ball")
From a combination of genetic objects in a state of
genes, at their interaction with objects of other information systems, the
macroobjects of enormous complexity (alive essences and even reasonable
"Homo sapiens") start its development.
Thus all missing information for the development this
object can be received from other information systems, co-operating with it
during the development. The information about organism structure is not
presented and can't be contained in gene. The same as in any, most complete
drawings, even of the most simple object, the complete information on its
device and ways of manufacturing is not presented. Always some part of the
information is kept by the manufacturer silently, or is not necessary to him at
manufacturing. But it does not mean, that this information is absent or does
not work in the given object.
Hence, at occurrence and development of objects
(unessentially complex) the principle " snow-ball " works in
information systems, when at movement of a snow ball on the surface, covered
with snow, the snow sticks to a sphere's surface and thus increases its sizes.
At occurrence and development of IS objects their
information volume increases at the expense of interaction with objects of
their own IS and objects of other environmental IS. This interaction frequently
is observed as absorption of smaller and more simple objects, by larger and
more complex ones.
16. The information systems can cross.
The multitude of IS can exist in one object - this
object can be called
"Associate".
What is obvious, does not require the proofs. It is
quite understandable, that all IS, observable by us, exist and cooperate in one
volume of physical space, which is called "associate".
Not only real physical space can act as associate, but
also the brain of the man and multimedia computer etc., i.e. difficult enough
object, in which the information of several information systems can contain and
cooperate.
"Associate, being an object of some IS, carries
out an interaction of different information systems and is the carrier for
them. Inside associate the information systems exist as a multitude of objects
- images of internal information systems of associate, associatively connected to objects of the
external information systems.
The information systems in relation to associate can
be internal and external.
Associate can carry out direct interaction of internal
IS.
It can influence objects of external IS only through
transformation of IS objects to external IS objects.
The man's brain, as associate, can influence objects
of external IS with the help of its body, speech and instruments of work, which
are converters of internal IS objects to external IS objects or, being
figuratively expressed, are means of ideas' materialisation.
17. Connection and interaction of associates.
Associates can be senior and younger, subordinated and
not subordinated.
The physical space is a senior associate for the
people, because we exist inside it and we consist of its objects.
We are young and subordinated associates in relation
to this associate. If there is any change in the senior associate, it can
influence any younger associate. And, any change of the younger associate is a
change of a senior associate.
Two programs, working in different completely
independent computers, can be not subordinated to each other associates, for example.
If they are not connected at the given moment somehow, they can't cooperate
with each other. They have a different personal time and they can not observe
each other, if there is no the third component, connecting them in a single
unit. The necessity of the third component for unification of two different
associates in a single unit, gives us a key to a solution of many natural
phenomena. Probably, this property caused in ancient worship of number
"3".
Without the third component the unification is
impossible. The Whole can appear from a minimum of three components. The third
component connects two components in a single unit. One object is formed of
three different ones. And it can be absolutely different to any of this three
components.
You can object, taking two parts of any subject and
having connected them in a single unit. But do not forget, that you will be the
third object at this time, just like a system of interaction which has
connected two halves in a single unit.
Two parents and a child form a family, which is
completely different formation, than any of its members.
The receiver and transmitter form system of the
unidirectional transfer of the information (unilateral interaction), if they
will be connected by an explorer, by the third element. And system of the
information transfer (as a new whole) can strongly differ from its components
externally. By the way, for bilateral data transfer, i.e. for realisation of a
high-grade exchange of the information and high-grade interaction, it is
necessary to have two unidirectional
systems or only six elements, incorporated in a single unit.
There can be systems, where the third component is a
completely equal in rights element, and the functions of connection in one unit
can carry out each of three objects serially.