Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas 266 | Christoph Adami on How Information Makes Sense of Biology
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Feb 19, 2024 Christoph Adami, a professor at Michigan State University and an expert in information theory, delves into how information is essential for understanding biology and evolution. He discusses the concept of 'survival of the fittest' and how information transmission shapes it. The conversation covers the significance of genomes, epigenetics, and cultural evolution in passing down information. Adami also elaborates on the relationship between information theory and biological complexity, including the nuances of genomic data and its implications for understanding life.
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Information Definition
- Information lets us predict things better than chance.
- It's mathematically defined by improved prediction accuracy, similar to everyday usage.
Information and Entropy
- Information is the difference between maximum possible entropy and actual entropy.
- Low actual entropy implies high information, indicating a system's distance from equilibrium.
Car Key Probability
- Sean Carroll and Christoph Adami discuss a car key search scenario.
- This example highlights how probability distributions change with new information (or lack thereof).
