Introduction
In the prior article, Data Stream Force, we constructed the 3rd story of our edifice – the Architecture of Dynamics. The purpose of this article is to construct the 4th floor – Work. In dynamics, work has a simple definition. Work occurs when force is exerted over distance.
Work = Force x Distance
Work must change the State of the System
Lifting an object from the ground to the tabletop, pushing an object along an incline, swimming laps, or even walking are examples of work. When force is exerted, but nothing changes, work doesn’t occur. For instance, pushing on a wall, isometric stretching, or standing still are examples where force is exerted, but no work is done. This doesn’t mean that no energy is expended. In fact, an incredible amount of energy can be employed to maintain the status quo, without any work being accomplished. The static expenditure of energy, no matter how strenuous, does not qualify as work, in this technical sense. The system must change in some way for work to occur.
Work – the 4th floor of the Architecture of Dynamics
Distance (change in location ∆d) added to Force gives us Work. This relationship is shown in the diagram below – the fourth floor of our Dynamics Architecture.
Re Dynamics: Inert Raw Data vs. Digested Data
How can inert Information do Work
Physical Work is fairly obvious and relatively close to our common sense notion of work. How does the concept of work translate into the dynamics of data streams? How is the Living Algorithm System changed? How does the information that is contained in a data stream change states? How can information do anything? Isn’t information static? And if information is inert, how can it do work?
Raw Information is Inert
Raw Information is, of course, inert and can’t do any work. In fact, current information theory is primarily concerned with the accurate transmission of neutral data, whether it be for radio, TV, or the Internet. Nobody wants information to do anything. In fact, the thrust of information theory is to ensure accuracy. Redundancy checks are employed to guard against the corruption of the information contained in the neutral data flow.
Digested Information, required by Life, is not Inert
However, digested information is an entirely different story. As we have seen and shall see, digested information has many properties that raw data does not. Further, living organisms are all about digested information. In fact, biological systems must digest neutral information to survive. The digestion process provides the necessary meaning to otherwise neutral data.
Electronic Receivers translate information
While our electronic receivers (radios, TVs, or computers) transform the incoming data streams into another form, they do not digest the data. In fact, steps are taken to make sure that the transmission and translation of electronic data is as exact as possible. Indeed, people pay lots of money for this accuracy, for instance High Definition TVs. Once our devices have performed this translation, our senses can then digest the information, turning it into a meaningful form. Living systems require digested information, not exact translations.
Digested Info is Dynamic; Raw Info is Inert.
While raw information is inert, digested information is dynamic. Raw data possesses neither velocity, nor acceleration, nor force, nor work. Digested information can possess all of these qualities. Let’s see how.
Living Algorithm provides Meaning to a Data Stream
Living Algorithm digestion process provides duration to instants
In our prior discussion of Data Stream Velocity, we showed that the digestion process of the Living Algorithm transforms one-dimensional instants into two-dimensional moments. This process provides essential duration to an instantaneous spark. This duration provides information with a dynamic component. Undigested, instantaneous data doesn’t possess this feature.
Duration leads to Time to Velocity, the 1st Floor of Dynamics
Duration enables the construct of mathematical time. Mathematical time is an essential ingredient in the structure of dynamics, whose first floor is velocity. Remember, velocity is change in location over change in time. Without time, there is no change, no velocity and hence, no dynamics.
Life requires digestion process that provides Duration for Memory
Memory also doesn’t exist without duration. Consciousness, in the broadest sense required of biological systems, doesn’t exist without memory of the past. This memory is essential for setting the thresholds required for an appropriate response. These memory-derived thresholds are necessary for all organisms, whether it be a human being or a single celled paramecium. For biological systems to have the memory that is a requisite for survival, they require some type of digestion process to provide duration to the instantaneous information flow from the environment. This duration provides their digested information with a dynamic.
Living Algorithm provides Relationship between Moments required for Momentum
Besides duration, the Living Algorithm’s digestion process also relates these moments to each other. As these moments now exist through ‘time’, they also interact with each other to create a momentum of recent events. This changing momentum provides the foundation for the more complex constructs of dynamics, such as force and work.
Life requires digestion process that provides Relationship
Consciousness also doesn’t exist without relationship. This relationship between moments is an essential feature of pattern recognition. Pattern recognition is essential for setting the thresholds that are required for survival. Biological systems require a mechanism that digests information in order to establish the relationships between moments. These relationships are the foundation of a system of dynamics.
Living Algorithm provides Meaning & Dynamics to Data Streams
By providing duration to an instant, the Living Algorithm’s digestion process creates mathematical time and the relationship between moments that is essential for a system of dynamics. The Living Algorithm’s digestion process imparts meaning, to an otherwise meaningless stream of numerical quantities. Biological systems require this information processing system, or something like it, to translate environmental input into a meaningful form. By conferring duration, the digestion process leads to relationship and dynamics.
Potential Energy: Living Algorithm & Heat
Comparison of Work in Other Systems for Understanding
To flesh out these abstractions, let's check out how the concept of work plays out in other systems. By comparing the Living Algorithm System with other systems, we can gain a better understanding of the counter-intuitive notion of Data Stream Work. (Note: the following discussion employs the words energy and potential energy very casually. We refine the meanings of these concepts relative to the Living Algorithm System in the following article – Info Energy.)
Work entails Location Change.
As mentioned above, work has to do with employing force to change the location of an object in our common 3 dimensional space. For instance, moving a chair across the room entails work. Changing the state of any system also qualifies as work, for instance, changing the temperature of a room. Conversely, maintaining a constant temperature does not qualify as work.
A Thermostatic Heating System
Because of its obvious parallels with the Living Algorithm System, let’s begin our discussion of work with a simple thermostatically controlled heating system. A heating system of this nature turns on when the temperature drops below a predetermined setting and turns off when the temperature rises above this setting. This predetermined setting is the threshold of the system. In this context, the ambient temperature of the room represents the state of the system. Heat energy gradually changes the state of this system. The number of degrees the temperature rises is the measure of the amount of work the heat energy has accomplished. This is also a measure of the amount of energy that has been stored in the system. When the heating system turns off, this potential energy is used up. The room loses its ‘heat’ and gets cold again.
Potential Energy in the Triple Pulse System
Triple Pulse's Living Average
The thermostatic heating system and the Living Algorithm’s Triple Pulse System go through an identical process. After the Triple Pulse System turns on, the Living Average rises until it reaches the 'practical' upper limit (or one). In other words, after entering the system the ‘info energy’ of ones ‘works’ to change the System’s state from 0 to 1. This ‘work’ is stored as ‘potential energy’. At this point the System turns off, initiating the sequence of zeros. The Living Average falls until it reaches the 'practical' lower limit and the ‘potential energy’ is used up. At this point the System turns on again – the sequence of ones begins anew. The Living Average (shown in the graph at the right) exhibits this mathematical mechanism. In a similar fashion to temperature, the Living Average represents the state of the system.
Triple Pulse and Heater: Both on or off & Accumulated Energy stored as Potential Energy
The two systems (Triple Pulse and the heating system) share many features in common. They both turn on and off at regular intervals. The energy they add to the system is not instantaneous, but takes time to accumulate. Further the added energy is stored in the system (as potential energy) and used up when the system turns off. The electrical energy to light a room is quite different. Light is instantly on or off and leaves no residue. In contrast to the others, this system does not store energy.
Triple Pulse and Heating System: A Significant Difference
There are some major differences between the heating system and the Triple Pulse System. For instance, in the heating system, the heat could be turned on again at any time in the 'off' cycle without having any effect on the performance of the system. In contrast, the Head Start Experiment clearly exhibited that starting the Active Pulse of ones prematurely has a detrimental effect upon the ideal potentials of the Triple Pulse System. Restating the inverse, turning on the heater too soon has no impact on its ability to heat the house.
Summary: Heater – Triple Pulse Links
Although there are distinct differences between the heating system and the Triple Pulse System, the similarities are instructive. Both systems (mathematical and thermodynamic) store energy (potential energy) when the system is ‘on’, and both systems use up this energy when the system turns ‘off’.
When Energy is employed without doing any Work
Although Atlas uses Energy to hold up the Earth, no Work is done
To understand other mathematical features of the Triple Pulse System, let's contrast it with the force of gravity. Envision the Greek god Atlas lifting the Earth to his shoulders. In the language of mechanics, Atlas employs kinetic energy to change the state of the Earth - lifting it from one location to another. As mentioned, whenever force acts upon an object to change its state, work is done. Due to gravity the work is stored in this system as potential energy. Once Atlas has put the Earth on his shoulders, he uses his entire strength to hold up the world. Even though it requires great strength, nothing is accomplished. No more work is done.
After a point all info energy employed on maintenance, no more work done
Triple Pulse's Living Average
The Triple Pulse System goes through an identical process. The kinetic info energy of an uninterrupted sequence of ones pushes the Living Average up the hill until it reaches 'practical' one. (See graph at right.) The work done by the ones in pushing the Living Average up the hill is stored as potential info energy, as in our gravitational system example. After the Living Average reaches its maximum altitude each of the subsequent ‘ones’ spend their entire 'practical energy' on maintaining this final state. Each additional ‘one’ props up the status quo without changing the System. Although data energy continues to be employed, nothing is accomplished. No more work is done. The ‘ones’ have finished their task – changing the state of their numerical world – transforming it from the 'zero' state to the 'one' state.
Multitude of Similarities: Living Algorithm, Heating & Gravity
Triple Pulse & a Thermostatic Heating System
With these parallels in place let us summarize our findings and suggest some possibilities. The Triple Pulse's Info System and a thermostatically-controlled Heating System have many features in common. Both can be either on or off, but nothing in-between. Both systems turn on or off when a predetermined limit is reached. When either system turns 'on' energy is generated, and when either system turns 'off', the generation of energy ceases. In both cases energy, whether heat or info, changes the state of the system. Alternately, when either system turns off, internal processes bring the state of the system back to equilibrium (the state before energy was introduced). When either system is on, potential energy is created. This potential energy will be ‘consumed’ when these systems shut down. For instance the room gets cold after the heater turns off. Although there are distinct differences between the two systems, the striking similarities justify considering the Living Algorithm's Information System as being powered by info energy.
The Triple Pulse & Gravity
We also compared the Triple Pulse's Info System with the force of gravity. In both systems energy, whether info or mechanical, does the work of changing the system. Further, this work is stored as potential future energy. In both systems a tremendous amount of energy can be expended without any work being done. In both systems internal forces (whether gravitational or mathematical) seek to restore the system to a resting state of equilibrium (whether ground level or zero).
Mathematics, a common thread in each of 3 systems
The systems that we’ve examined – mechanical, thermodynamic, or information-based – are linked by a common thread – Mathematics. A tightly defined mathematical structure describes common properties of these systems, such as energy, work, and power. In fact, a single equation or concept characterizes each of the systems: Physics – Force = Mass times Acceleration; Thermodynamics – the conservation of energy; and our Information System – the Living Algorithm.
A table of similarities between 3 Systems: Information, Heat, & Gravity
Let's summarize these similarities in a table.
Living Algorithm |
Thermostat |
Gravity |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | Information |
Heat |
Mechanical |
| System On or Off | Yes |
Yes |
No |
| Thresholds turn System Off & On | Yes |
Yes |
No |
| When System is On, Energy enters System | Yes |
Yes |
No |
| When System is Off, No Energy enters | Yes |
Yes |
No |
| Work: Kinetic Energy Changes System's State | Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Work can be stored as Potential Energy | Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Internal Forces Restore System to Equilibrium | Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| System can use Energy without doing Work | Yes |
No |
Yes |
| Defined by identical Dynamics Structure | Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Characterized by a Single Equation | Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Physical Dynamics is continuous; Information Dynamics, discontinuous.
Calculus derived to deal with Continuous Motion
There are striking similarities between these three systems in terms of their dynamic characteristics. However, there is one major difference. The dynamics of physical systems, whether gravitational, thermodynamic, or electrical, is continuous (at least in the atomic world). In fact, this feature necessitated the development of calculus. It is no accident that Newton derived the system of calculus to compute the values in his system of dynamics. If his equations for material force, acceleration, and velocity were to make any sense, it was necessary to convert a continuous, unbroken series of infinitesimal points into something real, something with dimensions. Multiplying nothing by infinity to get something defines calculus. This essential feature of calculus is mathe-magical. This mathe-magical feature is at the heart of material dynamics. This is why calculus is a requirement for math and science majors.
Living Algorithm needed to deal with Information Packets of Data Streams
In contrast, data stream dynamics is not continuous. By necessity, it occurs in discrete information packets (similar to electrons in the subatomic world). Just as calculus is necessary to translate nothing into something to render physical dynamics useful, the Living Algorithm is necessary to translate these information packets into a meaningful form - provide them with duration and relationship.
Calculus helpless before Discrete Information Packets
Calculus, although essential for the continuous nature of material dynamics, is helpless before the step-like nature of information packets. No mathe-magic is needed to perform the calculations on the discontinuous flow of information that characterizes living systems. The basic math of the Living Algorithm is sufficient. The atomic world in which we reside and move in is continuous. The information world in which we make decisions is discontinuous. Despite this fundamental difference, the two worlds share a common system of dynamics.
Link
The patterns of correspondence between material systems and our system of information are striking. But what is the utility of this knowledge? What exactly does it mean for information to have energy? And how can information be stored as potential energy? For some preliminary answers to these questions, read the next article in the stream – Info Energy.