Scratch-pad for a talk on the SIGINT 2010.

Notes

CFP

From the CFP:

[...]

The world of atoms and the world of bits operate on completely different levels. Where they come together (and that happens more often lately), there are tensions in society, opportunity and chaos that must be explored.

The importance of intangible things is growing while reducing production costs. Traditional markets expand in the virtual space, the music industry makes its money off ringtones and ideas materialize in physical form out of the 3D printer while popular modern sociological concepts such as the working class are completely exported to China. Identities are constructed in social networks regardless of nationality or gender, and yet there is still the world of things and the Internet printouts as contemporary counterparts. It is precisely this loss of barriers which on one hand breeds the total surveillance state and on the other allows the individuals offering hitherto unknown possibilities of development, to the horizon and much more.

[...]

CFP

Biography

Stefan Merten works as a professional in the software field. In 1999 he founded Project Oekonux and he maintains the project. Since then starting with Free Software this project researches the phenomenon of peer production. Besides the virtual work the project organized four semi-academic international conferences in three different countries. The goal of Project Oekonux is to understand peer production on a theoretical level and to explore what peer production may mean for the future of mankind.

Abstract

The Call for Papers for SIGINT 2010 claims that "the world of atoms and the world of bits operate on completely different levels.". Of course there is some truth to this claim. However, if we think about society and its future it is also a wrong claim in interesting ways.

First the talk compares matter and information as concepts where they are different. It then moves on to the societal question and outlines why production is the common denominator of information and matter. Finally the talk considers a few implications for the future.

Slides

On Bits and Pieces

How Information and Matter Are Similar
Author:Stefan Merten
Date:2010-05-22, SIGINT10, Köln
Organization:Projekt Oekonux
Organization:www.oekonux.org
From concepts...
Starting point

The world of atoms and the world of bits operate on completely different levels. Where they come together (and that happens more often lately), there are tensions in society, opportunity and chaos that must be explored.

Call for Papers SIGINT10

  • Common claim: Information and matter are completely different
Matter as a concept

Matter is a general term for the substance of which physical objects are made. [...]

-- Wikipedia on matter (emphasis by me)

  • As part of physics matter is a part of nature
In fact matter is the basis of everything
Information as a concept

[...] In its most restricted technical meaning information is an ordered sequence of symbols. [...]

-- Wikipedia on information (emphasis by me)

  • The concept of symbols makes sense only for living beings
    • A rock doesn't send or recognize symbols
    • But even the simplest life forms process information from their environment
Information and its substrate
  • Information is important...
  • ...but still this is a material world

  • Every symbol needs a physical substrate to exist
    • A novel needs paper to be printed on
    • A computer program needs some sort of memory to exist
    • Even a thought needs a brain holding it
Structure as the common denominator
  • Natural matter is mostly uninteresting
    • Such as rocks, air, water
    • Dead matter is amorphous

  • Matter becomes interesting when it gets a structure
    • Such as an apple, a table, a computer

  • Symbols are matter where the material aspect is secondary
    • The structure of the matter is primary
    • Such as books, DVDs, bits in main memory
    • You can burn a book but that is not what it is made for

Physical substrate makes information a special form of matter
Production and structure
  • Question: How does structure come about?

  • Answer: By a production process

  • Production is literally the process where structure is built
    • Material production structures matter
    • Immaterial production structures symbols
    • ...which means structuring matter to represent symbols

This way to society!
...to society...
Production as the common denominator
  • If structure is the common denominator of interesting matter and information

  • If structure is built by production

  • If production is the fundament of society

Then matter and information are the same with respect to the fundament of society
Production and rivalness
  • But isn't matter rival and information non-rival?

  • Rivalness: If I use a good you can't use it any more
  • Usually: Distinction between rival and non-rival goods
    • An apple is considered rival
    • Streets are considered non-rival
    • But what about a traffic jam?

  • My claim: Rivalness is not a feature of the good
    • Instead: Rivalness depends on the availability
    • Availability is a result of the production process
Means of production and availability
  • Some products are special
    • They can be used to create other products
    • Called means of production
    • They are built to make other production possible

  • Availability of means of production is key for any production
    • Without the means of production many products can not be produced
    • Availability of means of production determines the production process
    • Production process determines the availability of products
...and into the future
Information and production
  • To use an information good I need to have the information good available

  • Having an information good available means:

    Having a physical substrate structured according to the information

I.e.: An information good must be produced to be used
Information production in the past
  • Hand and ink
    • Slow, lots of skilled labor, no mass production, cheap means of production
    • Information goods were not available

  • Printing press
    • Fast, some skilled labor, mass production, expensive means of production, centralized
    • Information goods from some were available

  • TV
    • Fast, some skilled labor, mass production, expensive means of production, centralized
    • Information goods from some were available
Why information seems different
  • Digital copy
    • Fast, labor of any kind, mass production, cheap means of production, decentralized
    • Information goods from everyone everywhere

  • Today information is considered non-rival
    • But this was not the case for long time in history
    • Reason: the means of production of information were not available
    • They are today by global digital copy (aka Internet)
Next steps
  • So far: The Internet and its offspring peer production enabled a new perspective for the future
    • Availability of means of production are key

  • A wider availability of means of productions for material products may have a similar effect
Wrap up
Summary
  • Information needs a physical substrate
  • Production unifies matter and information the same with respect to society
  • Availability of means of production are important for transferring peer production to matter
Thank you!

  • Questions? Comments?

StefanMerten/Talks/BitsAndPieces (last edited 2010-05-22 18:29:32 by StefanMerten)

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