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In the Beginning was Information

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R2: The laws of nature enable us to make predictions. Becauseof N5 and N9 <strong>the</strong> expected course of observed processes can be predicted.Exactly because of this certainty it is in many cases possibleto compute beforehand what will happen. If for example a stone isdropped, one can calculate what its speed will be after two seconds.R3: The laws of nature make technological development possible.All engineering constructions and all technical manufacturingprocesses are based on <strong>the</strong> laws of nature. The reason why <strong>the</strong> constructionof a bridge, a car, or an aircraft can be planned inadvance, is that <strong>the</strong> relevant laws of nature are known. Without aknowledge of <strong>the</strong> laws of nature, <strong>the</strong>re could have been nei<strong>the</strong>rchemical nor pharmaceutical industries.R4: By means of <strong>the</strong> laws of nature it is possible to determinebeforehand whe<strong>the</strong>r an envisaged process would be realisableor not. This is a very important application of <strong>the</strong> laws of nature.Some time ago I received a comprehensive piece of work comprisingmany diagrams, calculations and explanations, from an inventorwith <strong>the</strong> request that <strong>the</strong> proposed construction should bechecked. This person envisioned an extremely complex system ofpumps and pipes which would be able to drive a hydraulic motor.It <strong>was</strong>, however, immediately clear without my having to do anycalculations or tests, that such an arrangement could never work,because it violated <strong>the</strong> energy law. <strong>In</strong> many cases <strong>the</strong> laws ofnature enable one to make conclusions beforehand without havingto study <strong>the</strong> details.R5: The laws of nature are applicable to cases formerlyunknown. The fact that <strong>the</strong> laws of nature can be transferred tonew cases, is of special importance. Up to <strong>the</strong> present time nobodyhas been able to imitate <strong>the</strong> process of photosyn<strong>the</strong>sis which takesplace in every blade of grass. If and when such an endeavour mayeventually be planned, <strong>the</strong>n all proposed methods which violateany one of <strong>the</strong> laws, could be rejected in advance. Any such designcould be eliminated as useless in <strong>the</strong> conceptual phase. <strong>In</strong> addition,past results which were accepted in <strong>the</strong> light of some paradigm,could also be evaluated. Is it for example possible that informationcould have originated in a postulated primeval soup? This questionis discussed fur<strong>the</strong>r in Chapter 6.35

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