Skip to main content

Objective Information in the Empiricist View of von Weizsäcker

Foundations of Science volume 19, pages 241–255 (2014)Cite this article

Abstract

We analyze von Weizsäcker’s view regarding the concept of information in physics. In his view, information arises from the reduction of properties of a physical object to their logical descriptive propositions. The smallest element of a lattice of propositions is an atom of information which is considered as the essence of every physical identity including position space. von Weizsäcker calls this element, “ur”. Moreover, Biological evolution is described in terms of enhancement of the variety of forms. Form could be also reduced to descriptive logical propositions, thus to atoms of information. Therefore, information is the fundamental basis in von Weizsäcker’s plan for unifying all branches of Physics including Chemistry and Biology. Yet, there are inadequacies in his lines of reasoning, critically assessed in this paper.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Notes

  1. We will not use the adjective “empirical” before “science” throughout our work in this paper, for in von Weizsäcker’s view natural science is generally empirical.

  2. Parity (\(\widehat{\Pi }\)) is a Hermitian and unitary operator in quantum mechanics with two eigenvalues \(+1\) and \(-1\), corresponding to the evenness and oddness of an eigenfunction \(\psi _{i}(x,y,z)\,(i=1,2)\), respectively. In a mathematical description, \(\widehat{\Pi }\psi _{i}(x,y,z)=c_{i}\psi _{i}(x,y,z)\), where \(c_{1}=-c_{2}=1\). As is obvious, parity refers to the symmetry of the quantum state of a system under space inversion.

References

  • Dretske, F. I. (1981). Knowledge and the flow of information. Oxford: Blackwell.

    Google Scholar 

  • Drieschner, M., Görnitz, T., & von Weizsäcker, C. F. (1987). Reconstruction of abstract quantum theory. International Journal of Theoretical Physics, 27, 289–306.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Görnitz, T. (1988a). On connections between abstract quantum theory and spacetime structure. Part II: A model of cosmological evolution. International Journal of Theoretical Physics, 27, 659–666.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Görnitz, T. (1988b). Abstract quantum theory and space–time structure. Part 1. Ur-theory, space time continum and Bekenstein–Hawking entropy. International Journal of Theoretical Physics, 27, 527–542.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Görnitz, T. (2011). Deriving general relativity from considerations on quantum information. Advanced Science Letters, 4, 577–585.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Görnitz, T. (2012). http://www.intechopen.com/articles/show/title/quantum-theory-as-universal-theory-of-structures-essential-from-cosmos-to-consciousness.

  • Görnitz, T., & Ischebeck, O. (2003). An introduction to C.F. von Weizsaker’s program for a reconstruction of quantum theory. In L. Castell & O. Ischebeck (Eds.), Time, quantum and information. Berlin: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Görnitz, T., & Schomäcker, U. (2012). Quantum particles from quantum information. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 380, 012025.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lyre, H. (1995). The quantum theory of “ur” objects as a theory of information. International Journal of Theoretical Physics, 34, 1541–1552.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lyre, H. (1998). Quantum space–time and tetrads. International Journal of Theoretical Physics 37, 393–400 (e-print quant-ph/9703028).

    Google Scholar 

  • Lyre, H. (2003). C. F. von Weizsäcker’s reconstruction of physics: Yesterday, today, tomorrow. In L. Castell & O. Ischebeck (Eds.), Time, quantum and information (essays in honor of C. F. von Weizsäcker) (p. 381). Berlin: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pereboom, D.: Kant’s transcendental arguments. In E. N. Zalta (Ed.), The Stanford encyclopedia of philosophy (Winter 2009 edition). http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/win2009/entries/kant-transcendental/.

  • von Weizsäcker, C. F. (1971). Die Einheit der Natur. Munich: Hanser.

    Google Scholar 

  • von Weizsäcker, C. F. (1977). Binary alternatives and the space–time structure. In L. Castell, et al. (Eds.), Quantum theory and the structure of time and space (Vol. 2, p. 86). Munchen: Hanser.

  • von Weizsäcker, C. F. (1979). A reconstruction of quantum theory. In L. Castell, M. Drieschner, & C. F. von Weizsäcker (Eds.), Quantum theory and the structures of time and space (Vol. 2, p. 7). Munhen: Hanser.

    Google Scholar 

  • von Weizsäcker, C. F., Lyre, H., & Görnitz, T. (2006). The structure of physics. Edited, revised and enlarged by T. Görnitz & H. Lyre. The Netherlands: Springer.

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the two anonymous referees for their valuable comments on the subject of this paper.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Group On Foundations of Quantum Theory and Information, Department of Chemistry, Sharif University of Technology, P.O. Box 11365-9516, Tehran, Iran

    Iman Khatam & Afshin Shafiee

Authors
  1. Iman Khatam
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Afshin Shafiee
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Afshin Shafiee.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Khatam, I., Shafiee, A. Objective Information in the Empiricist View of von Weizsäcker. Found Sci 19, 241–255 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10699-013-9335-x

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10699-013-9335-x

Keywords

  • Pragmatic information
  • Weizacker empirisist view
  • “ur” theory
  • Biological evolution
  • Quantum symmetry