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A comment on equating information with symbol strings.

M T Turvey, P N Kugler

The American Journal of Physiology

|June 1, 1984

Summary

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Nature uses information sparingly. A new view, Gibsonian information, explains how animals navigate complex environments, suggesting traditional symbolic information is less effective without this foundational, non-symbolic information.

Area of Science:

Information theory
Biophysics
Animal behavior

Background:

Symbol strings are considered fundamental to biological, physiological, and psychological processes, often acting as indicators.
Previous theories, like Pattee's, suggest nature uses symbolic information sparingly and that it complements dynamics.
Gibson proposed a different, non-symbolic view of information crucial for animal locomotion in cluttered environments.

Purpose of the Study:

To explore the relationship between symbolic and non-symbolic information.
To propose Gibsonian information as a foundational element for effective symbolic information.
To resolve complexities surrounding the selective content of symbol strings.

Main Methods:

Conceptual analysis and theoretical integration of existing information theories.

Related Experiment Videos

Comparison of Pattee's symbolic information theory with Gibson's non-symbolic information theory.

Argumentation for the primacy of Gibsonian information in guiding behavior.

Main Results:

Information, in Gibson's sense, is defined as low-dimensional qualitative properties of low-energy fields.
Symbolic, or indicational-injunctional, information is ineffective without the foundational Gibsonian information.
Understanding Gibsonian information may resolve issues with the specificity of symbol strings.

Conclusions:

Gibsonian information, based on environmental properties, is essential for effective behavioral guidance.
Non-symbolic information provides the necessary foundation for symbolic information to be functional.
A deeper understanding of Gibsonian information offers a new perspective on how organisms process and utilize information.