In the Beginning was Information

of the following catchwords characterise these criteria, dependingon the situation, as shown in Figure 22: underlying functional concept,degree of inventiveness, cleverness of the method of solution,achieved optimality, input strategy, brevity of construction time,applied technology, suitable programming, and degree of miniaturisation(e. g. economical use of material and energy). The qualityof the visible results (apobetics) can be evaluated in terms of theachieved goal, the efficiency of the input, the ingenuity of the operation,and the certainty of correct functioning (e. g. low susceptibilityto interference).2. Operational information: All concepts having the purpose ofmaintaining some “industry” in the widest sense of the word, areincluded under this kind of information. Very many systemsrequire operational information in the form of programs, for properfunctioning. These programs are indispensable and ensure that thepreconceived processes run as expected. A barrel-organ cannotfunction without the required cylinder, and the human body isviable only when the conceptual information is provided with allthe interactions carried by the nervous system to and from thebrain and all the bodily organs. The amount of information streamingthrough the deliberate as well as all involuntary activities of thehuman body is about 3 x 10 24 bits per day. When this is comparedwith the total quantity of information stored in all the libraries ofthe world – 10 18 bits – we make an astounding discovery: Thequantity of information processed in our bodies during the courseof one day, is one million times greater then all the knowledge representedin the books of the world.Further examples of operational information as found in technologyand in nature:– the operating system of a computer (e. g. DOS programs),– the program controlling a robot or a process computer,– warning systems for aeroplanes and ships,– pheromone languages of insects,– bee dancing (see Figure 39 in Appendix A2),– the hormonal system of the body, and– operational information in the animal kingdom, which we call“instincts” because of our lack of knowledge about their codes109