Re: Spetner and Shannon

Arthur V. Chadwick (chadwicka@swau.edu)
Thu, 16 Sep 1999 14:34:56 -0700

At 02:29 PM 09/16/1999 -0500, Wesley wrote:
>
>I'm interested in the weight of this orange, where the orange
>is referenced by the assertion, "Evolutionary processes cannot
>produce an increase in information." If Art doesn't have a
>scale, and Spetner doesn't have a scale, I'd like to ask why
>they think my orange doesn't weigh more than theirs does. A
>scale reduces the problem to practice and provides us with an
>intersubjective approach to comparing our oranges. If Art and
>Spetner give up making claims about the weights of oranges in
>the absence of a scale that can deliver those weights
>precisely, then I will stop asking for the evidence of the
>scale. Until then, performing a juggling act will not
>convince me that their orange of the unmodified genome is
>always and everywhere heavier than my orange resulting from an
>evolutionary process.
>
>Spetner's equation yielding his information measure is the
>scale. I'd be very surprised if it were much more complex
>than Shannon's.

I have written to Spetner to see what his read on the issue is. I have not
had much luck in communicating with him in the past, but will let you know.
Thanks for the information, and the stimulating interaction.
Art
http://geology.swau.edu