Information and PCT

[from Wayne Hershberger 940418]

Bill, Martin, Rick, Tom:
Regarding information and PCT:

(Bill Powers 940418)
      So in summary I'm suggesting a way of assessing information
      in a control system that is different from simply starting
      with variables and signals and trying to trace their
      information content through the control system. This is a
      model-based approach, in which a model is constructed that
      predicts almost all of the behavior that is seen. Only the
      difference between the model and the actual behavior
      contains new information about the control system.

Couldn't one take this reasoning a step further (sideways,
backwards, whatever)? Consider the "simplest" ideal control
system which transmits information optimally in this regenerative
fashion (beam me up Scotty). Presumably, the parameters of the
simplest ideal system would vary with the amount of information
available to be transmitted, and the rate of transmission. The
information capacity of any real control system, including a
simulator or model, could be indexed relative to this ideal. The
difference between the ideal system and the real one (however it
is instantiated: wetware, hardware, or software) would be the
information that is not transmitted. The complement would be the
information transmitted, wouldn't it?

Regards, Wayne

Wayne A. Hershberger Work: (815) 753-7097
Professor of Psychology
Department of Psychology Home: (815) 758-3747
Northern Illinois University
DeKalb IL 60115 Bitnet: tj0wah1@niu