Document (#36246)

Author

Korthof, G.

Title

Information Content, Compressibility and Meaning : Published: 18 June 2000. Updated 31 May 2006. Postscript 20 Oct 2009.

Source

http://home.planet.nl/~gkorthof/kortho44a.htm

Year

2000

Abstract

In New Scientist issue 18 Sept 1999, "Life force" pp27-30 Paul Davies writes "an apparently random sequence such as 110101001010010111... cannot be condensed into a simple set of instructions, so it has a high information content." (p29). This notion of 'information content' leads to paradoxes. Consider random number generator software. Let it generate 100 and 1000 random numbers. According to the above definition the second sequence of numbers has an information content ten times higher than the first, because its description would be ten times longer. However they are both generated by the same simple set of instructions, so should have exactly the same 'information content'. There is the paradox. It seems clear that this measure of 'information content' misses the point. It measures compressibility of a sequence, not 'information content'. One needs meaning of a sequence to capture information content.

Theme

Information

Similar documents (content)

1. Simkin, M.V.; Roychowdhury, V.P.: ¬A mathematical theory of citing (2007) 0.08

   0.07729401 = sum of:
     0.07729401 = product of:
       0.48308757 = sum of:
         0.08908293 = weight(abstract_txt:scientist in 1589) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.08908293 = score(doc=1589,freq=2.0), product of:
             0.13389763 = queryWeight, product of:
               1.0607053 = boost
               7.5270805 = idf(docFreq=64, maxDocs=44421)
               0.016770717 = queryNorm
             0.6653062 = fieldWeight in 1589, product of:
               1.4142135 = tf(freq=2.0), with freq of:
                 2.0 = termFreq=2.0
               7.5270805 = idf(docFreq=64, maxDocs=44421)
               0.0625 = fieldNorm(doc=1589)
         0.14869817 = weight(abstract_txt:writes in 1589) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.14869817 = score(doc=1589,freq=2.0), product of:
             0.18841422 = queryWeight, product of:
               1.2582448 = boost
               8.928879 = idf(docFreq=15, maxDocs=44421)
               0.016770717 = queryNorm
             0.7892088 = fieldWeight in 1589, product of:
               1.4142135 = tf(freq=2.0), with freq of:
                 2.0 = termFreq=2.0
               8.928879 = idf(docFreq=15, maxDocs=44421)
               0.0625 = fieldNorm(doc=1589)
         0.031501662 = weight(abstract_txt:same in 1589) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.031501662 = score(doc=1589,freq=1.0), product of:
             0.10628833 = queryWeight, product of:
               1.3364911 = boost
               4.7420692 = idf(docFreq=1052, maxDocs=44421)
               0.016770717 = queryNorm
             0.29637933 = fieldWeight in 1589, product of:
               1.0 = tf(freq=1.0), with freq of:
                 1.0 = termFreq=1.0
               4.7420692 = idf(docFreq=1052, maxDocs=44421)
               0.0625 = fieldNorm(doc=1589)
         0.21380481 = weight(abstract_txt:random in 1589) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.21380481 = score(doc=1589,freq=3.0), product of:
             0.30241147 = queryWeight, product of:
               2.7610104 = boost
               6.5309834 = idf(docFreq=175, maxDocs=44421)
               0.016770717 = queryNorm
             0.70699966 = fieldWeight in 1589, product of:
               1.7320508 = tf(freq=3.0), with freq of:
                 3.0 = termFreq=3.0
               6.5309834 = idf(docFreq=175, maxDocs=44421)
               0.0625 = fieldNorm(doc=1589)
       0.16 = coord(4/25)
   

2. Bremer, M.; Cohnitz, D.: Information and information flow : an introduction (2004) 0.08

   0.07662084 = sum of:
     0.07662084 = product of:
       0.47888026 = sum of:
         0.077402785 = weight(abstract_txt:meaning in 217) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.077402785 = score(doc=217,freq=1.0), product of:
             0.14769761 = queryWeight, product of:
               1.5754696 = boost
               5.59 = idf(docFreq=450, maxDocs=44421)
               0.016770717 = queryNorm
             0.5240625 = fieldWeight in 217, product of:
               1.0 = tf(freq=1.0), with freq of:
                 1.0 = termFreq=1.0
               5.59 = idf(docFreq=450, maxDocs=44421)
               0.09375 = fieldNorm(doc=217)
         0.086901076 = weight(abstract_txt:information in 217) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.086901076 = score(doc=217,freq=12.0), product of:
             0.11062301 = queryWeight, product of:
               2.7269428 = boost
               2.4188995 = idf(docFreq=10748, maxDocs=44421)
               0.016770717 = queryNorm
             0.7855606 = fieldWeight in 217, product of:
               3.4641016 = tf(freq=12.0), with freq of:
                 12.0 = termFreq=12.0
               2.4188995 = idf(docFreq=10748, maxDocs=44421)
               0.09375 = fieldNorm(doc=217)
         0.18516041 = weight(abstract_txt:random in 217) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.18516041 = score(doc=217,freq=1.0), product of:
             0.30241147 = queryWeight, product of:
               2.7610104 = boost
               6.5309834 = idf(docFreq=175, maxDocs=44421)
               0.016770717 = queryNorm
             0.6122797 = fieldWeight in 217, product of:
               1.0 = tf(freq=1.0), with freq of:
                 1.0 = termFreq=1.0
               6.5309834 = idf(docFreq=175, maxDocs=44421)
               0.09375 = fieldNorm(doc=217)
         0.12941596 = weight(abstract_txt:content in 217) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.12941596 = score(doc=217,freq=1.0), product of:
             0.33027902 = queryWeight, product of:
               4.711875 = boost
               4.1796083 = idf(docFreq=1847, maxDocs=44421)
               0.016770717 = queryNorm
             0.39183828 = fieldWeight in 217, product of:
               1.0 = tf(freq=1.0), with freq of:
                 1.0 = termFreq=1.0
               4.1796083 = idf(docFreq=1847, maxDocs=44421)
               0.09375 = fieldNorm(doc=217)
       0.16 = coord(4/25)
   

3. Tsai, R.T.-H.; Chiu, B.; Wu, C.-E.: Visual webpage block importance prediction using conditional random fields (2011) 0.07

   0.06777734 = sum of:
     0.06777734 = product of:
       0.5648112 = sum of:
         0.065498725 = weight(abstract_txt:times in 924) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.065498725 = score(doc=924,freq=1.0), product of:
             0.17314841 = queryWeight, product of:
               1.7058173 = boost
               6.0524936 = idf(docFreq=283, maxDocs=44421)
               0.016770717 = queryNorm
             0.37828085 = fieldWeight in 924, product of:
               1.0 = tf(freq=1.0), with freq of:
                 1.0 = termFreq=1.0
               6.0524936 = idf(docFreq=283, maxDocs=44421)
               0.0625 = fieldNorm(doc=924)
         0.123440266 = weight(abstract_txt:random in 924) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.123440266 = score(doc=924,freq=1.0), product of:
             0.30241147 = queryWeight, product of:
               2.7610104 = boost
               6.5309834 = idf(docFreq=175, maxDocs=44421)
               0.016770717 = queryNorm
             0.40818647 = fieldWeight in 924, product of:
               1.0 = tf(freq=1.0), with freq of:
                 1.0 = termFreq=1.0
               6.5309834 = idf(docFreq=175, maxDocs=44421)
               0.0625 = fieldNorm(doc=924)
         0.37587222 = weight(abstract_txt:sequence in 924) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.37587222 = score(doc=924,freq=4.0), product of:
             0.44050086 = queryWeight, product of:
               3.8477926 = boost
               6.82627 = idf(docFreq=130, maxDocs=44421)
               0.016770717 = queryNorm
             0.85328376 = fieldWeight in 924, product of:
               2.0 = tf(freq=4.0), with freq of:
                 4.0 = termFreq=4.0
               6.82627 = idf(docFreq=130, maxDocs=44421)
               0.0625 = fieldNorm(doc=924)
       0.12 = coord(3/25)
   

4. Sherman, C.; Price, G.: ¬The invisible Web : uncovering sources search engines can't see (2004) 0.07

   0.06719473 = sum of:
     0.06719473 = product of:
       0.41996706 = sum of:
         0.08023115 = weight(abstract_txt:exactly in 1020) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.08023115 = score(doc=1020,freq=1.0), product of:
             0.13558404 = queryWeight, product of:
               1.0673641 = boost
               7.574333 = idf(docFreq=61, maxDocs=44421)
               0.016770717 = queryNorm
             0.5917448 = fieldWeight in 1020, product of:
               1.0 = tf(freq=1.0), with freq of:
                 1.0 = termFreq=1.0
               7.574333 = idf(docFreq=61, maxDocs=44421)
               0.078125 = fieldNorm(doc=1020)
         0.103137486 = weight(abstract_txt:paradox in 1020) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.103137486 = score(doc=1020,freq=1.0), product of:
             0.16029659 = queryWeight, product of:
               1.1605675 = boost
               8.235732 = idf(docFreq=31, maxDocs=44421)
               0.016770717 = queryNorm
             0.6434166 = fieldWeight in 1020, product of:
               1.0 = tf(freq=1.0), with freq of:
                 1.0 = termFreq=1.0
               8.235732 = idf(docFreq=31, maxDocs=44421)
               0.078125 = fieldNorm(doc=1020)
         0.020905152 = weight(abstract_txt:information in 1020) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.020905152 = score(doc=1020,freq=1.0), product of:
             0.11062301 = queryWeight, product of:
               2.7269428 = boost
               2.4188995 = idf(docFreq=10748, maxDocs=44421)
               0.016770717 = queryNorm
             0.18897653 = fieldWeight in 1020, product of:
               1.0 = tf(freq=1.0), with freq of:
                 1.0 = termFreq=1.0
               2.4188995 = idf(docFreq=10748, maxDocs=44421)
               0.078125 = fieldNorm(doc=1020)
         0.21569327 = weight(abstract_txt:content in 1020) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.21569327 = score(doc=1020,freq=4.0), product of:
             0.33027902 = queryWeight, product of:
               4.711875 = boost
               4.1796083 = idf(docFreq=1847, maxDocs=44421)
               0.016770717 = queryNorm
             0.6530638 = fieldWeight in 1020, product of:
               2.0 = tf(freq=4.0), with freq of:
                 4.0 = termFreq=4.0
               4.1796083 = idf(docFreq=1847, maxDocs=44421)
               0.078125 = fieldNorm(doc=1020)
       0.16 = coord(4/25)
   

5. Heastrom, M.: Descriptive practices for electronic records : deciding what is essential and imaging what is possible (1993) 0.06

   0.061354183 = sum of:
     0.061354183 = product of:
       0.38346365 = sum of:
         0.15155873 = weight(abstract_txt:sept in 8331) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.15155873 = score(doc=8331,freq=1.0), product of:
             0.1834762 = queryWeight, product of:
               1.241647 = boost
               8.811096 = idf(docFreq=17, maxDocs=44421)
               0.016770717 = queryNorm
             0.82604027 = fieldWeight in 8331, product of:
               1.0 = tf(freq=1.0), with freq of:
                 1.0 = termFreq=1.0
               8.811096 = idf(docFreq=17, maxDocs=44421)
               0.09375 = fieldNorm(doc=8331)
         0.077402785 = weight(abstract_txt:meaning in 8331) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.077402785 = score(doc=8331,freq=1.0), product of:
             0.14769761 = queryWeight, product of:
               1.5754696 = boost
               5.59 = idf(docFreq=450, maxDocs=44421)
               0.016770717 = queryNorm
             0.5240625 = fieldWeight in 8331, product of:
               1.0 = tf(freq=1.0), with freq of:
                 1.0 = termFreq=1.0
               5.59 = idf(docFreq=450, maxDocs=44421)
               0.09375 = fieldNorm(doc=8331)
         0.025086183 = weight(abstract_txt:information in 8331) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.025086183 = score(doc=8331,freq=1.0), product of:
             0.11062301 = queryWeight, product of:
               2.7269428 = boost
               2.4188995 = idf(docFreq=10748, maxDocs=44421)
               0.016770717 = queryNorm
             0.22677183 = fieldWeight in 8331, product of:
               1.0 = tf(freq=1.0), with freq of:
                 1.0 = termFreq=1.0
               2.4188995 = idf(docFreq=10748, maxDocs=44421)
               0.09375 = fieldNorm(doc=8331)
         0.12941596 = weight(abstract_txt:content in 8331) [ClassicSimilarity], result of:
           0.12941596 = score(doc=8331,freq=1.0), product of:
             0.33027902 = queryWeight, product of:
               4.711875 = boost
               4.1796083 = idf(docFreq=1847, maxDocs=44421)
               0.016770717 = queryNorm
             0.39183828 = fieldWeight in 8331, product of:
               1.0 = tf(freq=1.0), with freq of:
                 1.0 = termFreq=1.0
               4.1796083 = idf(docFreq=1847, maxDocs=44421)
               0.09375 = fieldNorm(doc=8331)
       0.16 = coord(4/25)