Preface
The Information Philosopher proposes three ideas about
freedom,
values, and
knowledge, with a discussion of several related
problems in philosophy and proposed
solutions.
Part One is the
story behind the development of these ideas and an
introduction to information and
two principles of information philosophy - "soft" causality and increasing information.
Part Two is our model for
free will, a combination of indeterminacy and determinism that allows for both freedom (unpredictability) and responsibility.
Causality does not entail determinism.
Part Three proposes a
value system based on fundamental information processes in the universe. We look specifically at the overall increase in entropy (disorder) required by the Second Law of Thermodynamics and the local decrease in entropy achieved by certain negentropic phenomena, such as gravity and quantum cooperative phenomena including life. The decrease in entropy increases information structures.
The universe is its own observer.
Part Four argues that
knowledge formation and communication depend on the irreversible encoding of macroscopic information in the universe in general and in brains in particular. This requires understanding the quantum measurement process.
In Parts
Two,
Three, and
Four, for each new idea we state the classical problem, then review the history of the problem. We then propose our new approach to the problem and review the underlying physics, biology, and cosmology needed to understand our new ideas.
All three ideas have strong connections to the science of information. They are contributions to an information philosophy.
If these ideas are accepted, they could change some well-established philosophical positions. Even more important, they may provide a satisfying view of how humanity fits into the universe.
All three ideas have been anticipated to some extent by earlier philosophers. The information philosophy attempts to build on this earlier work, following the example of science.
Part Five and
Part Six include a discussion of related classical problems in philosophy, the philosophers who contributed most to these problems, and some proposed solutions in the light of information philosophy.
Part Seven includes our
conclusions, the reference
bibliography, a
glossary of terms,
subject and
author indexes, and a
colophon.
This website version of Information Philosopher has seven parts, each with multiple chapters. Navigation at the bottom of each page will take you to the next or previous part or chapter.
Please excuse empty placeholder pages. Information Philosopher is a work in progress.
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