Sciweavers

ALIFE
2005

Levels of Description: A Novel Approach to Dynamical Hierarchies

14 years 11 days ago
Levels of Description: A Novel Approach to Dynamical Hierarchies
We present a novel formal interpretation of dynamical hierarchies based on information theory, in which each level is a near-state-determined system, and levels are related to one another in a partial ordering. This reformulation moves away from previous definitions, which have considered unique hierarchies of structures or objects arranged in aggregates. Instead, we consider hierarchies of dynamical systems: these are more suited to describing living systems, which are not mere aggregates, but organizations. Transformations from lower to higher levels in a hierarchy are redescriptions that lose information. There are two criteria for partial ordering. One is a state-dependence criterion enforcing predictability within a level. The second is a distinctness criterion enforcing the idea that the higher-level description must do more than just throw information away. We hope this will be a useful tool for empirical studies of both computational and physical dynamical hierarchies.
Simon McGregor, Chrisantha Fernando
Added 15 Dec 2010
Updated 15 Dec 2010
Type Journal
Year 2005
Where ALIFE
Authors Simon McGregor, Chrisantha Fernando
Comments (0)