[FreedomProtector]

Your essay could be compared to to a movie, where there is a surprise twist...reading along I was expecting a Kierkagaard like statement of existence of truth of higher order which results in the resolution of a paradox, but went down the path of refuting reductionism.

It seems according to modern-day science, the analogue and digital descriptions are perfectly respectable, and even superior to the actual event that led rise to them (because they are allegedly more “universal” in terms of descriptive power.) In short, some modern scientists seem to want to “reduce” the world to its description. But what they seem to forget is the description is not, nor cannot be, the same exact thing as what it describes. It is a "reduction" of the actual situation that provoked the making of a description in the first place.

While reductionism often results in incomplete and incomprehensive descriptions of events and entities. Reductionism also hits a wall when it runs into the concept/entity of information in general. Information is fundamentally a mental entity, it is not a property of matter. While information is stored and transmitted via the unique designs utilizing the laws of physics and chemistry, information is neither matter or energy. Mathematical and statistical measures of information (Shannon), encompasses only a very minor aspect of information (probability somewhat similar to statistical mechanics etc). Information is fundamentally a mental entity, it is not a property of matter. Syntax (code grammar), semantics (meaning), pragmatics (action), apobetics (result,goal), beauty, purpose of transmission, etc are all aspects of information which are neither matter nor energy.

Let’s say I’m at the Met listening to a performance of the aria “Un bel Di” from Puccini’s magnificent Madama Butterfly —which I experience as a sound waveform and (more subtly) as a pressure wave that affects my visceral body. An analog recording could be made of the aria, and later digitized (i.e., “quantized”) so it can be played on state-of-the-art audio equipment.

Among the interesting experiences I have had playing piano, one once [sadly only for a two day event] was an accompanist for Phillip Webb Phillip Webb Personal Note . I will testify that a bunch of 0's and 1's on a CD, no matter how remarkably ordered cannot account, fully describe, or contain all of the information, etc, of a live performance of a [world class] tenor.

[Quix]

Fascinating truths. Thanks.

[betty boop]

Your essay could be compared to to a movie, where there is a surprise twist...reading along I was expecting a Kierkagaard like statement of existence of truth of higher order which results in the resolution of a paradox, but went down the path of refuting reductionism.

Sorry to disappoint, FreedomProtector! My next post on this thread will likely go in the other direction (i.e., existence of truth of a higher order).

Information is fundamentally a mental entity, it is not a property of matter. While information is stored and transmitted via the unique designs utilizing the laws of physics and chemistry, information is neither matter or energy.

I really wish a scientific materialist would explain to me how information can be a product of matter plus pure chance. This seems to be the materialist position; but I just can't figure out how it can be justified.

Thanks for a great post, FreedomProtector!

[Cicero]

I'm a classical music lover. Analog recordings can only capture part of the full sound of a live performance, not to mention other factors, like being in the presence of the musicians and seeing them. And digital recordings degrade the sound further.

Moreover, each live performance is a unique event. Ben Jonson, who wrote masques for performance at the court of James I, pointed out that although is words might live forever, the full actual performance only happened one time, because it involved courtiers and the king celebrating a particular occasion that would never recur.

[.30Carbine]

Thank you for sharing this testimony and for including the link to Phillip Webb's testimony! You certainly have had "interesting experiences," and we are blessed to partake of the harvest from these.