Hierarchy and the Nature of Information

Abstract

We address the nature of information from a systemic structural point of view. Starting from the Natural hierarchy of living systems, we elucidate its decomposition into two partial hierarchies associated with its extant levels and inter-level regions, respectively. External observation of a hierarchical system involves the generation of approximate hyperscalar representations of these two partials, which then reintegrate to give a singular metascalar result. We relate Havel’s categories of reality and Peirce’s categories of experience to this result, and indicate that the ultimate result of the reintegration of hyperscalar data and context is a sign which is information.

Keywords

• hierarchy
• hyperscale
• metascale
• Ivan Havel
• Charles Peirce
• information