Truth and Information- Part 1
- From: "Altway" <altway@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 29 Mar 2006 03:51:13 -0600
"A.C" wrote
Question:-
According to the Quran Allah made the Universe and its contents with Truth.
How does this fit in with the scientific view of Information?
Answer:-
Part 1.
I would suggest, in accordance with my studies so far, and without being
dogmatic, that the following thoughts on the subject are appropriate:-
Truth refers to the Order or Organisation that exists in things which
determines their nature and behaviour and by which they can be known.
The scientific view of Information is similar but not identical. It also
refers to order but to quantity rather than quality and to fact rather than
value. Ordinarily "information" tends to mean "knowing about" something,
whereas "truth" refers to the thing that is "known" through interaction by
direct experience.
Truth according to the Quran derives from the Word or Command of God. This
may refer to some kind of fundamental Universal Vibration. Allah is the
fundamental Absolute Reality. Truth can be defined as "experience of
Reality" and Knowledge as "consciousness of Truth."
".Allah, He is the Real, and that whereon they call instead of Him is the
False, and because Allah, He is the High, the Great." 22:63
".He is Allah, the One, the Absolute. He has created the heavens and the
earth with Truth." 39:4-5
"Have they not pondered upon themselves? Allah created not the heavens and
the earth, and that which is between them save with Truth and for a destined
end." 30:8 and 38:28
"We created not the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them,
save with truth, and for a term appointed." 46:3
"His word is Truth." 6:74
"He (Allah) said: The Truth Is, and the Truth I speak." 38:85
The scientific idea of Information arises as follows:-
According to the Second Law of Thermodynamics energy must flow spontaneously
from a place of greater concentration A to a place of lesser concentration
B. It cannot do so in the reverse direction without the use of more energy.
In other words it is the difference of concentration between B and A that
determines the flow of energy. No work can be done unless energy flows.
If we think of energy as coming in little packets P then we can see that the
number of such packets is greater per unit of space at A then it is at B. If
we try to put these packets into a space C that consists of the spaces A and
B, then they will distribute themselves at random. The chance that they will
all stay only in space A or only in space B is very low. The greatest
probability is that they will be equally divided in both spaces so that
there is uniformity and we cannot distinguish one space from the other.
There is no information here. Information exists only when there is a
contrast and this denotes some kind of order. Thus we see that greater
relative concentration corresponds to relatively less probability.
Probability is inversely proportional to order and information.
The flow of energy depends on difference in order or Truth. As energy refers
to motion, there is really no energy without flow. Energy is also related to
mass by Einstein's formula E=MC^2
The word Entropy is used to describe disorder or greater probability. The
Second Law of Thermodynamics, therefore, requires that in total entropy
should always increase. Thus we find that all ordered structures existing in
an environment with which they interact will fall into disorder. They do not
spontaneously repair themselves, but will need constant maintenance and
repair by application of work, energy and effort.
The decrease in order can be called degeneration or Involution. It takes
place automatically according to the Second Law Thermodynamics.
This one way flow of energy also describes the flow of time. The direction
of time is the direction of degeneration and involution.
The increase in order can be called Evolution. Construction, increase of
order happens against the Second Law of Thermodynamics. It requires a
different process which we might call the Law of Creativity. Construction by
human beings is usually done through a conscious process.
The balance between increase and decrease in order can be called
Maintenance. This is illustrated by the repairs people do. The relationship
between Maintenance, Evolution, and Involution is similar to that of
Metabolism, Catabolism and Anabolism in living organisms. It is probably
part of a Universal Process. Living organisms can be regarded as instruments
of this.
The word Negentropy, and sometimes Virtue, is used to describe order. This
should normally always decrease. This, however, does not apply locally, but
globally. At a local level, in a sub-system, energy could be brought in from
the outside. For instance, the constant radiation of energy from the sun
allows evolution to take place on earth. The radiation of the sun is of
course an involutional process, one of increasing entropy. Within the earth,
organisms including human beings maintain their higher order by absorbing
energy from the environment. They will have to do so even more to develop
and evolve. The possibility of development, increasing order, at a lower or
more limited area depends, therefore, on (1) the existence of a source of
greater order at a higher, wider area but also on (2) the difference in
order between the higher and lower level and (3) the nature and ability of
the entity at the lower level to absorb, transform and utilise the energy.
The question is: If the Universe as a whole is subject to the Second Law of
Thermodynamics, of increasing entropy and disorder, how did Order come into
being in the first place? How did Energy come to be concentrated? The answer
could be that there was no space outside the area where the energy existed.
There was no difference between areas of concentration. It is expansion of
space that creates the difference. The question then is: Why is space
expanding? Is it that the pressure of the concentrated energy is causing
space to expand? The fact remains that there is originally a higher order.
It may be that order or information is being introduced into the Universe
from a higher source outside the Universe.
The force that appears to go against the Second Law of Thermodynamics is
Gravity which allows concentration. In the Sun this not only creates the
elements but also squeezes out the energy that radiates out into space and
is absorbed on earth. The gravity of sun and earth also continually attract
and absorb material from surrounding space through which they move. This
causes their growth which in turn increases their gravity. The sun is
maintained by the balance between its gravity and production of heat. The
fate of the Sun will depend on the balance between what it absorbs and
radiates.
Black Holes are formed when Gravity is so great as to prevent even light
from escaping. However, it is now known that Black Holes also radiate into
their surroundings. Order or Information is not lost but recycled. It could
be that at the Universal level a Principle of conservation of Information
applies. There may be a process of Involution balanced by a process of
Evolution, both positive and negative processes maintaining each other. 0=
+X -X = 0. The Universe as whole comes out of nothing. This is similar to
the spontaneous arising and disappearance of the pairs of positive and
negative particles in empty space which is constantly taking place according
to Physicists.
It may be that we are in a Black Hole or the whole Universe will fall into a
Black Hole and then be recreated, so that there are cycles, like the swing
of a pendulum from one extreme to the other.
But Gravity is not the only thing that has attractive power. The fundamental
particles exit in two forms, positive and negative in equal amounts.
Opposites attract while like ones repel. In this case the over all repulsion
must equal the over all attraction. It could be that it is the repulsion
that produces the expansion, the increase in entropy.
Though all this may seem to be a self-maintaining system requiring no
outside power, the fact remains that we need an explanation for the
existence of the medium in which all this takes place and for the arising
and existence of the laws that make this possible. It is this fundamental
Reality that is called Allah, and it is these Laws and processes that are
referred to as the Word of Allah.
"He produces creation, then reproduces it, that He may reward those who
believe and do good works with equity." 10:5 and 10:35
"He directs the ordinance from the heaven unto the earth; then it ascends
unto Him in a Day, whereof the measure is a thousand years of that which you
reckon." 32:5
"Allah, Lord of the Ascending Stairways whereby the angels and the Spirit
ascend unto Him in a Day whereof the span is fifty thousand years." 70:3-4
"He knows that which goes down into the earth, and that which comes forth
from it, and that which descends from the heaven, and that which ascends
into it." 34: 2
"And all things We have created by pairs, that haply you may reflect.
Therefore, flee unto Allah.." 51:49
"The Day when We shall roll up the heavens as a recorder rolls up a written
scroll. As We began the first creation, We shall repeat it. It is a promise
binding on Us." 21:104
"Everything will pass away. There remains but the countenance of Thy Lord of
Might and Glory." 55: 26-27
The difference between the scientific and religious approach is that science
wants us to know and understand things for technological purposes, whereas
religion wants us to develop and evolve. It is a much more personal and
fundamental motive. This means that we have to be open to receive, absorb
and utilise the subtle but powerful forces that surround us.
Part 2 follows
Hamid S. Aziz
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