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Information theory: A guide in the investigation of disease

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Conclusion

The development of disease and the preservation of health can be analysed in terms of both software and hardware. The software approach, based on information theory, allows biologists to narrow down the range of possibilities and frame hypotheses to direct epidemiological and laboratory based research. These ideas follow from the basic principles which apply to all systems that process information: (i) finite capacity, (ii) finite probability of error, (iii) the error rate rises with age and (iv) complex systems need a high level of redundancy.

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  1. Department of Pathology, Royal Lancaster Infirmary, Ashton Road, LA1 4RP, Lancaster, UK

    J. A. Morris

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  1. J. A. Morris
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Morris, J.A. Information theory: A guide in the investigation of disease. J Biosci 26, 15–23 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02708977

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