Information and Its Role in Nature

Presenting an in-depth interdisciplinary discussion of the concept of information and its role in the control of natural processes, the author first briefly reviews classical and quantum information theory. He then addresses numerous essential questions, such as: Is information reducible to the laws of physics and chemistry?; Does the Universe, in its evolution, constantly generate new information?; Or are information and information-processing exclusive attributes of living systems, related to the very definition of life? If so, what is the role of information in classical and quantum physics? In what ways does information-processing in the human brain bring about self-consciousness? Accessible to science graduates and professionals from all scientific disciplines, this stimulating book will help to shed light on many controversial issues at the heart of modern science.