Digital probabilistic physics
Encyclopedia
Digital probabilistic physics is a branch of digital philosophy
which holds that the universe exists as a nondeterministic state machine. The notion of the universe existing as a state machine was first postulated by Konrad Zuse
's book Rechnender Raum. Adherents hold that the universe state machine can move between more and less probable states, with the less probable states containing more information
. This theory is in contrast to digital physics
which holds that the history of the universe is computable and is deterministically unfolding from initial conditions.
The fundamental tenets of digital probabilistic physics were first explored at great length by Tom Stonier in a series of books which explore the notion of information
as existing as a physical phenomena of the universe. According to Stonier, the arrangement of atoms and molecules which make up physical objects contain information, and high information objects such as DNA are low probability physical structures. Within this framework, civilization
itself is a low probability construct maintaining its existence by propagating through communication. Stonier's work has been unique in considering information as existing as a physical phenomena, being broader than as an application to the domain of telecommunications.
To distinguish the probability
of the physical state of the molecules from the probability of the energy distribution of thermodynamics, the term extropy was appropriated to define the probability of the atomic configuration, as opposed to the entropy
. Thus, in thermodynamics a 'coarse-grain' set of partitions is defined which groups together similar microscopically different states and in digital probabilisitic physics the specific microscopic state probability is considered alone. The extropy is defined to be the self-information
of the markov chain
describing the physical system.
The extropy of a system
in bits associated with a the markov chain
configuration
whose outcome has probability 
is:
Within this philosophy, the probability of the physical system does not necessarily change with the deterministic flow of energy through the atomic framework, but rather moves into a lesser probability state when the system goes through a bifurcating transition. Examples of this include bernoulli cell formation, quantum fluctuations in a gravitational field causing gravitational precipitation points, and other systems moving through unstable self amplifying state transitions.
Digital philosophy
Digital philosophy is a direction in philosophy and cosmology advocated by certain mathematicians and theoretical physicists, e.g., Gregory Chaitin, Edward Fredkin, Stephen Wolfram, and Konrad Zuse ....
which holds that the universe exists as a nondeterministic state machine. The notion of the universe existing as a state machine was first postulated by Konrad Zuse
Konrad Zuse
Konrad Zuse was a German civil engineer and computer pioneer. His greatest achievement was the world's first functional program-controlled Turing-complete computer, the Z3, which became operational in May 1941....
's book Rechnender Raum. Adherents hold that the universe state machine can move between more and less probable states, with the less probable states containing more information
Information
Information in its most restricted technical sense is a message or collection of messages that consists of an ordered sequence of symbols, or it is the meaning that can be interpreted from such a message or collection of messages. Information can be recorded or transmitted. It can be recorded as...
. This theory is in contrast to digital physics
Digital physics
In physics and cosmology, digital physics is a collection of theoretical perspectives based on the premise that the universe is, at heart, describable by information, and is therefore computable...
which holds that the history of the universe is computable and is deterministically unfolding from initial conditions.
The fundamental tenets of digital probabilistic physics were first explored at great length by Tom Stonier in a series of books which explore the notion of information
Information
Information in its most restricted technical sense is a message or collection of messages that consists of an ordered sequence of symbols, or it is the meaning that can be interpreted from such a message or collection of messages. Information can be recorded or transmitted. It can be recorded as...
as existing as a physical phenomena of the universe. According to Stonier, the arrangement of atoms and molecules which make up physical objects contain information, and high information objects such as DNA are low probability physical structures. Within this framework, civilization
Civilization
Civilization is a sometimes controversial term that has been used in several related ways. Primarily, the term has been used to refer to the material and instrumental side of human cultures that are complex in terms of technology, science, and division of labor. Such civilizations are generally...
itself is a low probability construct maintaining its existence by propagating through communication. Stonier's work has been unique in considering information as existing as a physical phenomena, being broader than as an application to the domain of telecommunications.
To distinguish the probability
Probability
Probability is ordinarily used to describe an attitude of mind towards some proposition of whose truth we arenot certain. The proposition of interest is usually of the form "Will a specific event occur?" The attitude of mind is of the form "How certain are we that the event will occur?" The...
of the physical state of the molecules from the probability of the energy distribution of thermodynamics, the term extropy was appropriated to define the probability of the atomic configuration, as opposed to the entropy
Entropy
Entropy is a thermodynamic property that can be used to determine the energy available for useful work in a thermodynamic process, such as in energy conversion devices, engines, or machines. Such devices can only be driven by convertible energy, and have a theoretical maximum efficiency when...
. Thus, in thermodynamics a 'coarse-grain' set of partitions is defined which groups together similar microscopically different states and in digital probabilisitic physics the specific microscopic state probability is considered alone. The extropy is defined to be the self-information
Self-information
In information theory, self-information is a measure of the information content associated with the outcome of a random variable. It is expressed in a unit of information, for example bits,nats,or...
of the markov chain
Markov chain
A Markov chain, named after Andrey Markov, is a mathematical system that undergoes transitions from one state to another, between a finite or countable number of possible states. It is a random process characterized as memoryless: the next state depends only on the current state and not on the...
describing the physical system.
The extropy of a system
in bits associated with a the markov chainMarkov chain
A Markov chain, named after Andrey Markov, is a mathematical system that undergoes transitions from one state to another, between a finite or countable number of possible states. It is a random process characterized as memoryless: the next state depends only on the current state and not on the...
configuration
whose outcome has probability is:Within this philosophy, the probability of the physical system does not necessarily change with the deterministic flow of energy through the atomic framework, but rather moves into a lesser probability state when the system goes through a bifurcating transition. Examples of this include bernoulli cell formation, quantum fluctuations in a gravitational field causing gravitational precipitation points, and other systems moving through unstable self amplifying state transitions.
Criticism
- The existence of discrete digital states is incompatible with the continuous symmetries such as rotational symmetryRotational symmetryGenerally speaking, an object with rotational symmetry is an object that looks the same after a certain amount of rotation. An object may have more than one rotational symmetry; for instance, if reflections or turning it over are not counted, the triskelion appearing on the Isle of Man's flag has...
, Lorentz symmetry, electroweak symmetry and others. Proponents of digital physics hold that the continuous models are approximations to the underlying discrete nature of the universe.
External links
- [ftp://ftp.idsia.ch/pub/juergen/zuse67scan.pdf Scan of Zuse's paper in PDF]
- Petrov, Plamen, and Joel Dobrzelewski, "Digital Physics". 1998.