What is information? Every people feels it is difficult to explain it clearly, even Norbert Wiener who is honored as the founder of cybernetics. He sighed, “Information is information, neither matter nor energy.” Meanings of information are in chaos now. Information is mixed with signal, symbol and consciousness of information together, difficult to be distinguished. Conception of information is not scientific, which can cause a lot of troubles and mistakes to scientific research. Herein, I would strictly distinguish three definitions of information.

Le'on Brillouin said, information means negentropy¹. As disclosed by Stefan-Boltzmann law, entropy is of direct ratio to logarithm of number of complexion. It means that the state with large number of complexion is balanced one, the state with small number of complexion, i.e. negentropy, corresponds to broken symmetry of structure. If informa- tion is negentropy, information is broken symmetry.

Broken symmetry has two divisions: matter and con- sciousness. When I don't know what is in cup, I guess that there may be a fish, a frog or a cup of solution and so on inside. When I consider there is a fish in it, it means that I deny possibility of other matter in the cup. This is the broken symmetry of consciousness. The broken symmetry of matter also has two divisions: one is broken symmetry of signal and symbol; the other is broken symmetry of matter other than signal and symbol.

For example, when there is a fish in cup, if I place a tag at the side of cup and write a word “Fish” on it, the word is a symbol which is also a broken symmetry. Because word “Fish” has been written, it means that I didn't write other words, e.g. “Horse” or “Cow”, etc.

Now, meanings of information talked by people are in high chaos. Sometimes, it means broken symmetry of consciousness, “Information is know-how.”; sometimes, it means broken symmetry for signal and symbol, “Information is signal, data and advices”; sometimes, it also means broken symmetry of matter other than signal and symbol, “information is uneven distribution of matter and energy at time and space, and difference or variation of being” ². The three definitions shall be partitioned strictly as they have completely different attribute. One computer program written on paper is broken symmetry of symbol, but compute doesn't know this program. Sequence of electric signal generated by knock on keyboard is broken symmetry of matter, which is such information as able to be recognized by computer. The word “Fish” has different attribute from actual fish. Fish can be eaten but the word is unable to be eaten.

If one person has two names, it is no matter. For example, Mao Zedong is also called Mao Runzhi, either one can be said without misunderstanding present. However, it would be trouble and liable to causing misunderstanding if two people has a same name. Thus, name of people is always not scientific language. Administration gives every people an ID number which is exclusive and would not cause any misunderstanding. Therefore, ID number is scientific language.

Now, the noun of information used by people is not scientific as it contains three meanings which are liable to causing misunderstanding, and can bring scientific research a lot of troubles and mistakes. Eating wrong matter is not big trouble, but it would be great trouble if information is used to explain essence of life, universal evolution or other theory. Jianhui Li considers that essence of life is to transfer information during growth and reproduction³. Information in his mind means broken symmetry for matter other than signal and symbol. However, other people may understand information as broken symmetry for signal and symbol or broken symmetry for consciousness.

How to solve this problem? Different nouns shall be used to respectively express three broken symmetries. I claim not to use again the information to express broken symmetry of consciousness and signal and symbol but only use the information to express broken symmetry of matter other than signal and symbol. Herein, matter mentioned means that opposite to consciousness. Broken symmetry for signal and symbol is called signal and symbol; it may be said that signal and symbol is carrier of information but signal and symbol themselves are not information. Broken symmetry for consciousness is called cognition to information, cognition and other consciousness are not information.

Reference

1. Pang Y.Z., Li J.H. Select Sutra Literatures of System Theory Cybernetics and Information Theory. 640 (Qu Shi Publishing House, Beijing, 1989).(in Chinese)

2. Gao D. Order Theory——Essence of Abstract Chinese Traditional Xiang maths and Philosophy of Traditional Chinese Medical Science. 13-14 (Inner Mongolia People Publishing House, Huhehaote, 2002).(in Chinese)

3. Li J.H. Make Friend with Truth: Deep Recollection of Modern Philosophy. 37 (Shanghai Scientific & Technologi-

cal Education Publishing House, Shanghai, 2002).