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Cognizable information vs. Data, vs. Information, vs. Consciousness. The Origin of Terms and Their Interpretation

Posted on by Mykola Krasnostup

Cognizable information, Data, Information, Consciousness. The Origin of Terms and Their Interpretation The lack of unified interpretations of such terms as cognizable information, data, information, and consciousness has begun to have a negative impact on the development of modern science and technology. This has been particularly evident in the discussions on the subject of “Does chatGPT have or does not have consciousness?

I decided to fill in this gap.

Part 1. Cognizable information

Absolutely all objects, processes and phenomena in the Universe, from “elementary particles” to the largest star clusters, from bacteria to human beings, from all kinds of radiation to the creations of human hands, in fact are carriers/media of various information (that could be cognized/perceived/read) about their origin, activity, evolution, “life path”, current state, etc. in the smallest detail. This “cognizable information” can tell a lot to someone who is able to “reveal”, “perceive” and “read” it.

Example #1: Light coming to us from a distant star is a valuable source of information for astronomers and can help solve many mysteries about the nature and origin of the universe. Analyzing the spectrum of light can provide information about the distance to the star and its speed, as well as the composition of the gases in the galaxy. The detection of chemical elements in the light spectrum, which may be associated with life, may indicate the presence of life on planets in that star’s system. This light can tell us about the star itself, its age, size, temperature, and composition. Changes in the brightness of the star can indicate the presence of planets passing in front of it…

Example #2: An artist’s painting from many centuries ago can tell researchers a lot about the culture and history of the time when it was created. It can contain information about the social, economic, and political life at that time. Also, it may reflect lifestyle, fashion, structure of the society, and even behavior of the people depicted in it. A painting can also show the architecture, landscape, and technological advances of the time. The size of the painting, the type of paint, the chemical composition of the paints, the material of the canvas, the author’s signature on the painting, etc. are also of interest to researchers.

Example #3: A handwritten letter can provide a variety of information for different subjects: for the addressee – it’s the content itself; for the graphologist – it’s the handwriting, containing information about the author of the letter; for the forensic scientist – it’s fingerprints on the letter, the composition of the ink and the paper the letter was written on; etc.

But… In the process of cognition some subjects can “read” this or that information, while others cannot do this for any of the reasons (lack of appropriate education, lack of necessary knowledge and experience, lack of desire to cognize anything, malfunction in functioning of the body and its receptors, and so on). Therefore, as a rule, people call “a source of information” only those objects, from which they are able to “read” what these objects “carry“.

Example #4: If a researcher of the Mumba-Yumba tribe does not know their language, he will not understand a single word or “catch” the slightest meaning in their speech. Everything uttered by the tribe will be mere noise to him.

Example #5: One subject (hunter) is able to “read” animal tracks, another (ornithologist) is able to “read” bird voices, a third (programmer) is able to “read” program code in a programming language he knows, a fourth (translator) is able to “read” texts in various world languages, a fifth (radio engineer) is able to “read” signals coming from radio stations to radio receiver using devices that people have specially created for this purpose…. and yet many people have no idea about the very possibility of “reading” this information…

Accordingly, it can be stated that:

  • “Cognizable, or readable, information“ (rus. сведения, ukr. відомості) is everything that serves as a basis, on which a subject is able to characterize something.
  • “Cognizable information“ does not exist by itself; it does not exist outside of the object – its carrier (i.e., medium)!
  • “Cognizable information“ is, by default, unknown to the subject, but could potentially be cognized by him.
  • “Cognizable information“ is an integral part of any object in the Universe, which the subject is able to perceive.
  • Creators of “cognizable information“ are Creators of objects or processes, i.e., Nature, Beings, as well as human-made devices.
  • A carrier, or a medium, is a conventional name of an object from the body of which a subject is able to perceive, or “read” “cognizable information“, which the object “carries on itself” by means of any physical effects.
  • The medium of “cognizable information“ is the conventional name for the carrier “carrying” the “cognizable of information”, which is unknown to the subject by default.
  • The medium of information is the conventional name for the medium “carrying” the information the subject has created.
  • Characterizing (describing, outlining, qualifying…) is identifying and describing characteristic features and properties of something or someone.
Anything is characterized, as a rule, using of any parameters used in scientific research at the current moment in time. Such physical parameters can be, for example, the size and shape of the surface, temperature, speed of movement, humidity, chemical composition, and so on. Such psychological parameters may be, for example, temperament, character, behavior pattern, personality type, personality traits, mental and psychological health of the individual, etc.

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Philosophy of the concept “information fields” and the basic principles to gain access to them

Posted on by Mykola Krasnostup

Does the “information field” exist or not? How do you think?

I guess that there are lots of “information fields” that differ from each other by the kind and form of stored information, the way of representing and perceiving it, types of information recording on carriers, information coordinates in our 3-dimensional space, etc. (In more detail the types of information I described in the Volume #25 “Information and Energy” of “The New Cosmic Philosophy” book series).

These “information fields” have special information carriers where all the data are stored; they also could have both material and immaterial nature. The main purpose of such information carriers is to save people perception, using any physical effects. Besides, there is unique filed on every type of carrier that simply has no relation to recorded information.

I`d like to mention that such concepts as “carrier” and “information carrier” are subjective ones, because they describe an object, information from the body of which an individual is able to read (to perceive). As example, one person is able to read information from the USB drive while another one considers it as an object with no intended use and nothing more.

The subjective variety of “information fields” depends on the subjective variety of information carriers that are located in the different “parts” of our 3-dimensional space.

For example:

  • Any library represents a peculiar “field” of shelves with some books, which contain the thoughts of dozens of thousands of people (the authors of these books) that is information. It is unique “information field” where the pages of books made from paper are information carriers. With the course of time material information carriers of this “field” will constantly change (stone —> clay tablets —> papyrus —> birchbark —> paper —>…);
  • World Wide Web is also original “information field” where the thoughts of million people are represented on the web pages. As a rule, hard drives are the parts of servers in the special “cloud” datacenters and information carriers of this “information field”. With the course of time material information carriers of this “field” will also constantly change (CD —> DVD —> HDD —> SSD —>…);
  • “Information field” of the modern humankind is also unique, its information carriers are the certain exocellular (immaterial) carriers that contain all information people have systematized during cognition. In other words, this is the very same place for storing consciousnesses of all the Personalities of human beings who have ever lived or now are living on the Earth. Sometimes the concept “information core” is used instead of “information field”. Globally, this concept means one`s ability to receive information about any object of the Universe in any place of our 3-dimensional space by adjusting to wavelet characteristics of a cognizable object.

And now let us proceed to the most interesting point. Many people ask me such a question: “Can I get a personal access to the ‘information field’?” My answer is “Of course, you can. Every human being has a deep connection with this field from the birth of his corporeal body. Your intuition is a hint at this very same ‘field’.”

Some people keenly go with their gut feeling while others have no need for doing it! So, only certain individuals can reasonably answer the following question: “Why do you need an access to this information field?”

Let`s puzzle out this situation step by step.

Do you need an access to the “information field” where is stored information you don`t know about for any existing reason? No problems… Go to the best circulating library. It turns out that you just fool yourself, because you have no desire to study medicine, chemistry, biology, mathematics, etc. You have zero intention! What do you have reliance in? You think by accessing to information field you immediately and effortlessly perceive all information stored there (the thoughts of other people). Well, well… It doesn`t work like that…

“Our” World is different, this proverb is the most appropriate to describe it: “The race is got by running!” Only certain efforts aimed at cognizing a particular object (process, phenomenon) can allow you to cognize and understand it, as a result, the information you personally receive during cognition will become a part of your consciousness.

Finally, the most important question without answering which “connection” to any “information field” is simply meaningless, sounds something like this: “Is the requested information useful if you successfully receive and understand it?” Fall short of hope … no one will answer you… because every person has his own “path of life” in this World.

Only being fully aware of the goals for information obtaining (when you could be useful for the Universe), you can count on gaining access to the “information field” … All the mechanisms of Nature (all the mechanisms of the environment of human beings) function according to “self-developing” algorithms, the main purpose of which is the sustainability of all its “parts” … Nature protects itself from irrational beings who can apply information received to the detriment of the Universe …

Cast mind back to the 80s of the last century, when in the USSR many citizens collected books in beautiful covers on their bookshelves, conceiving that the bigger number of these books, the more convinced would be their guests of a great intellect of their owner … and for years these books were on the shelves with their pages being untouched…. uncovered, unread, unrealized … 🙁 Do you strain after this?

Cast mind back to the 35-45 years of the last century, when in Germany members of Ahnenerbe (“Inherited from the Forefathers“, a full name — “German Ancestral Heritage—Society for the Study of the History of Primeval Ideas”) looked for the ways to contact with “supreme minds” in order to meet targets of the world rule and to control people … 🙁 Do you strain after this?

Recall Atlantians, Sumerians, Toltecs and other representatives of “other humankinds”. It appears that these people were in the dark about the functioning principles of Nature algorithms.

Thus, find your position and make right decision!

“Do not gain knowledge only to thine undoing. Remember Adam.
Do not obtain that which ye cannot make constructive in thine own experience and in the experience of those whom ye contact day by day.
Do not attempt to force, impel or to even try to impress thy knowledge upon another. Remember what the serpent did to Eve.
In the studies, then, know WHERE ye are going. To gain knowledge merely for thine own satisfaction is a thing, a condition, an experience to be commended, if it does not produce in thine experience a feeling or a manner of expression that you are better than another on account of thy knowledge. This becomes self-evident that it would become then a stumblingblock, unless ye know what ye will do with thy knowledge.As to the manners of interpreting – these may be observed, these may be made constructive by the study of those influences that in the associations and dealings with thy fellow man ye have had weaknesses, inclinations. These are mental, not material things, though they may have brought material activity. Warnings, constructive activity in warnings, then may prove to be of helpful experience in the activity of any individual group. That this should not include documentary data or evidence, to be sure, is well; for documentary evidence to the mind of the masses is nil. Only that which produces or makes for experiences that may make a citizen a better citizen, a father a better father, a mother a better mother, a neighbor a better neighbor, is constructive.”

Edgar Cayce “Readings” (5753—2)

 

© 2018, Helen Zhoglo, translation into English

Philosophy of Consciousness

Posted on by Mykola Krasnostup

In this article, the author gives definitions of such notions as consciousness, sub-consciousness, being and entity for any biological or non-biological objects. He also considers these notions in relation to computer systems. Different approaches to objective estimation of various objects’ consciousnesses are also suggested. Besides, the writer offers the way to determine the exact point when a conscious object turns into a being or an entity.

Additional Key Words and Phrases: Consciousness; Subconsciousness; Superconsciousness; Knowing; Cognition; Awareness; Manifestation; Body; Organism; Being; Creature; Entity; Evolution; Human; Life; Life Cycle; AI; Artificial Intelligence; Computer; Computer Program; Operation System; Application; Software; Computer Science; Information; Information Carrier, Information Storage; Data; Alphabet; ABC; Word; Sentence; Phrase; Language; Concept; Thought; Brain; Thinking; Conceptual Thinking;

 

1. INTRODUCTION

Disputes over the interpretation of such notions as consciousness, subconsciousness and a being have been taking place throughout the history of the so-called modern humankind and provoke people’s interest up to this day. Nowadays these debates have reached their climax.

Scientists from various research centers actively develop different structures (e.g. devices, robots, mechanisms, and so on), which, as they claim, possess artificial intelligence.

So, now – like never before – there is a need to formulate unified terminology and related nomenclature, which will be used within various areas of research, such as artificial intelligence, robotics, biocybernetics, computer systems, etc. It will help modern researchers to find a common language, which, in its turn, will contribute toward development of the technologies that will benefit the whole humankind.

I think that the future of the modern humankind is tightly intertwined with answers to such questions as “What are consciousness and subconsciousness?”, “What is a Being?”

This paper is devoted to finding answers to these questions.

2. PROBLEM DESCRIPTION

“There is a conceptual gap between science, which stands for objective measurement and the conclusions we can draw thereby, and consciousness, which is a synonym for subjective experience. We obviously cannot simply ask an entity in question, “Are you conscious?” If we look inside its “head,” biological or otherwise, to ascertain that, then we would have to make philosophical assumptions in determining what it is that we are looking for. The question as to whether or not an entity is conscious is therefore not a scientific one. Based on this, some observers go on to question whether consciousness itself has any basis in reality.” [1] Ray Kurzweil

“Proposals have been regularly presented that purport to be scientific theories linking consciousness to some measurable physical attribute — what Searle refers to as the “mechanism for causing consciousness.” [1] Ray Kurzweil

“As British psychologist and writer Stuart Sutherland (1927–1998) wrote in the International Dictionary of Psychology, “Consciousness is a fascinating but elusive phenomenon; it is impossible to specify what it is, what it does, or why it evolved.” [1] Ray Kurzweil

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