Author(s)

Yong Duan

Corresponding Author

Yong Duan

ABSTRACT

Claude Elwood Shannon defined the amount of information as the difference between two uncertainties, so information is symmetry breaking. At present, the meaning of information is very confusing. Sometimes it refers to symmetry breaking of consciousness, sometimes it refers to symmetry breaking of signals and symbols, and sometimes it refers to symmetry breaking of substances other than signals and symbols. These three meanings must be strictly distinguished. The concept of information is not scientific, which will bring a lot of troubles and mistakes to scientific research. The word “information” should only indicate the symmetry breaking of matter other than signals and symbols. The reason why signals and symbols can contain information is that organisms can associate; they can associate a signal or symbol with the symmetry breaking of a substance. Signals are substances that can make people and animals associate, and symbols are man-made and easily copied signals.

KEYWORDS

Information theory; Systems theory; Information; Definition; Symmetry breaking