biological information—definitions from a biological perspective生物information-definitions从生物学的角度来看.pdfVIP

Information 2011, 2, 117-139; doi:10.3390/info2010117 OPEN ACCESS information ISSN 2078-2489 /journal/information Article Biological Information—Definitions from a Biological Perspective Jan Charles Biro Homulus Foundation, 612 S Flower Str., Los Angeles, CA 90017, USA; E-Mail: jan.biro@ Received: 13 January 2011 / Accepted: 18 January 2011 / Published: 21 January 2011 Abstract: The objective of this paper is to analyze the properties of information in general and to define biological information in particular. Keywords: biological; information; data; signal; message; knowledge; Shannon; DNA; protein; communication 1. Introduction A young man traveling around the country became short of money and sent the shortest possible telegram to his father explaining his situation and asking for help: “Father! Send some money! Your son”. His father was old with poor eyesight and therefore asked his neighbor, a farmer, to read the message. The farmer did not concern himself with unnecessary speech. He read the message and shouted to the father: “FATHER-SEND-SOME-MONEY-YOUR-SON!!!” The father was upset about the short and demanding request, and decided to ignore it. However, several days later he asked another neighbor, the village priest, to read the same message to confirm that he had understood his son correctly. The priest quietly read the message, lifted his eyes upward and started to recite the message very slowly, as though he was speaking directly to God: “Father!” he pau