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To: Diamond
A code is an instance of foreknowledge.

I'm not sure I understand you here. Are you saying that a code can predict the future?

In some way other than incorporating rules for dealing with regular or recurrent phenomena?

380 posted on 01/29/2009 10:32:25 AM PST by js1138
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To: js1138; Diamond; betty boop
Er, if I may, a "code" has two uses in successful communications (Shannon information) - the sender for encoding, the receiver for decoding.

The sender and receiver must speak the same language. The sender must have foreknowledge of the code, how it will decoded by the receiver. Hence, the foreknowledge.

Again, the Wimmer experiment like Szostak's planned experiment (according to his bio) - began with the message. The code was presupposed along with autonomy and information (Shannon, successful communication.)


386 posted on 01/29/2009 10:50:50 AM PST by Alamo-Girl
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To: js1138; Alamo-Girl
A code is an instance of foreknowledge.
I'm not sure I understand you here. Are you saying that a code can predict the future?

In some way other than incorporating rules for dealing with regular or recurrent phenomena?

As Alamo-Girl pointed out, a code cannot exist without assignment of the symbol set, in advance, based on convention, which requires the foreknowledge of the sender and the receiver. By "foreknowledge" I do not mean that all senders and receivers are intelligent and sentient, but simply understanding that where they are not, the foreknowledge resides in the intelligent coder of the information. But further, to the extent that coded information represents an idea or a plan, then yes, a code itself is an instance of foreknowledge. When you were one cell your DNA code contained the instructions for building your entire body plan before it ever developed. The color of your hair was specified in advance before you ever had a strand of it.

Cordially,

470 posted on 01/30/2009 12:31:41 PM PST by Diamond
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