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Coarse-graining as a downward causation mechanism
Apparent downward causation does not demand that estimates of aggregate properties be correct or even good predictors of the system’s future state or successful strategies (although that would be useful). Furthermore, components do not need to agree in their estimates of the variables. Apparent downward causation becomes effective downward causation—the strong form—when: As an interaction or environmental…
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When science hits a limit, learn to ask different questions
The fish will be the last to discover water. https://aeon.co/ideas/when-science-hits-a-limit-learn-to-ask-different-questions
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Where Would We Be Without the Paper Punch Card?
This Slate article has a great reading on the beginnings of digital information processing. As indicated, it is an nice exerpt from The Ascent of Information: Books, Bits, Genes, Machines, and Life’s Unending Algorithm by Caleb Scharf published on June 15, 2021 by Riverhead, A selection: Punch cards helped drive human society out of the Industrial Age and into…
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The information theory of individuality
Krakauer, D., Bertschinger, N., Olbrich, E. et al. The information theory of individuality. Theory Biosci. 139, 209–223 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12064-020-00313-7 Despite the near universal assumption of individuality in biology, there is little agreement about what individuals are and few rigorous quantitative methods for their identification. Here, we propose that individuals are aggregates that preserve a measure of temporal integrity, i.e., “propagate”…
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