I love having really bright, really helpful friends. I've been trying to place a particular idea I heard in physics ages ago - about fundamental equations being derived from the difference between the information in a system and the total possible information (or carrying capacity of that system). It seemed like a fruitful metaphor for all kinds of things, and an interesting way of thinking. But I couldn't remember what it was. So, I mailed a string-theory theoretical physicist friend of mine (Stephen Morris) who came through with the goods, and then some. Our conversation. Wonderful.
It turns out the thing I was thinking of was a combination of Principal of Least Action and, in particular, the concept of Fisher Information. Fascinating. Oh, and here's the original New Scientist article [in the Wayback Machine].
I love having really bright, really helpful friends. I've been trying to place a particular idea I heard in physics ages ago - about fundamental equations being derived from the difference between the information in a system and the total possible information (or carrying capacity of that system). It seemed like a fruitful metaphor for all kinds of things, and an interesting way of thinking. But I couldn't remember what it was. So, I mailed a string-theory theoretical physicist friend of mine (Stephen Morris) who came through with the goods, and then some. Our conversation. Wonderful.
It turns out the thing I was thinking of was a combination of Principal of Least Action and, in particular, the concept of Fisher Information. Fascinating. Oh, and here's the original New Scientist article [in the Wayback Machine].