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<p>Dear Xueshan,</p>
<p>Thank you for the clear separation of disciplines-themes-clouds!
All of fundamental interest and importance. In view of your
interests, you might be interested in my theoretical and applies
work on communication-cooperation theory for multi-agent systems
(part of the birth of distributed AI) and my later modeling of
genomes and their role in embryogenesis and cancer -which applied
my DAI theories to modeling dynamic, developing multicellular
communication systems. This work relates strongly to your themes
at the same time showing crossovers. I welcome further
communications from you! My work on meaning was strongly
influenced by Wittgenstein, von Neumann's work on game theory and
his mathematical foundations of quantum mechanics. So a more
logical-philosophical-formal-foundations bent. <br>
</p>
<p>-Eric <br>
</p>
<p>P.S. Since we have never met and since you have probably have
never heard of me, here is some info about me: <br>
</p>
<p>BACKGROUND: Dr. Eric Werner has a Ph.D. in logic and is a
research scientist with an interdisciplinary focus in distributed
artificial intelligence, systems biology, computational
embryology, cancer modeling and simulation. He has developed new
models and protocols to understand and potentially treat cancer by
combining CRISPR genome editing methods with computational cancer
modeling and simulation software (cancer-CAD).<br>
As a founder of Distributed Artificial Intelligence DAI, he worked
in some of the world's top research institutes including: The
University of Oxford (Balliol College) for 11 years in both the
department of computer science and the department of physiology,
anatomy and genetics, INRIA in France, CNR in Rome, AAII
(Australian Artificial Intelligence Institute, Stanford Research
International SRI in Australia), SONY Research Labs in Tokyo, the
Distributed Systems Research Group, University of Hamburg where he
led a project with staff and students that developed the first
four legged "insect" robot in Germany. He was chairman of the
department of computer science and Dana Faculty Fellow at Bowdoin
College, Maine. He headed robotic software development while
professor of computer science at Montana College of Mineral
Science and Technology, Butte, Montana. Dr. Werner was also a
lecturer in philosophy and formal logic in Africa at the
University of Ibadan, Nigeria. <br>
</p>
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<p
style="margin:0cm;line-height:12.0pt;mso-line-height-rule:exactly;background:white"><span
lang="EN-US"
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#222222">Dear
colleagues,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p
style="mso-margin-top-alt:3.6pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left:0cm;mso-margin-top-alt:.3gd;mso-para-margin-right:0cm;mso-para-margin-bottom:0cm;mso-para-margin-left:0cm;text-indent:22.1pt;line-height:13.0pt;mso-line-height-rule:exactly;background:white"><span
lang="EN-US"
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#222222">I
have summarized five sets of puzzles faced by fundamental
information science and called them 'clouds' — some of which
have been emphasized by Pedro on many occasions. I am now
glade to hear everyone's different opinions.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center"
style="margin:0cm;text-align:center;line-height:12.0pt;mso-line-height-rule:exactly;layout-grid-mode:char;background:white"><strong><span
lang="EN-US" style="font-family:宋体"><o:p> </o:p></span></strong></p>
<p
style="margin:0cm;line-height:13.0pt;mso-line-height-rule:exactly;background:white"><span
lang="EN-US"
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#222222">Best
wishes,</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p
style="margin:0cm;line-height:13.0pt;mso-line-height-rule:exactly;background:white"><span
lang="EN-US"
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#222222">Xueshan
Yan<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p
style="mso-margin-top-alt:3.6pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left:0cm;mso-margin-top-alt:.3gd;mso-para-margin-right:0cm;mso-para-margin-bottom:0cm;mso-para-margin-left:0cm;line-height:13.0pt;mso-line-height-rule:exactly;background:white"><span
lang="EN-US"
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#222222">Professor
Emeritus<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p
style="margin:0cm;line-height:13.0pt;mso-line-height-rule:exactly;background:white"><span
lang="EN-US"
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#222222">Department
of Information Management<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p
style="margin:0cm;line-height:13.0pt;mso-line-height-rule:exactly;background:white"><span
lang="EN-US"
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#222222">Peking
University, China</span><span lang="EN-US"
style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:等线"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center"
style="margin:0cm;text-align:center;line-height:12.0pt;mso-line-height-rule:exactly;layout-grid-mode:char;background:white"><strong><span
lang="EN-US"
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#222222"><o:p> </o:p></span></strong></p>
<p align="center"
style="margin:0cm;text-align:center;line-height:12.0pt;mso-line-height-rule:exactly;layout-grid-mode:char;background:white"><strong><span
lang="EN-US"
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#222222"><o:p> </o:p></span></strong></p>
<p align="center"
style="margin:0cm;text-align:center;line-height:12.0pt;mso-line-height-rule:exactly;layout-grid-mode:char;background:white"><strong><span
lang="EN-US"
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#222222"><o:p> </o:p></span></strong></p>
<p align="center"
style="margin:0cm;text-align:center;line-height:12.0pt;mso-line-height-rule:exactly;layout-grid-mode:char;background:white"><strong><span
lang="EN-US"
style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#222222">Five
Clouds over Fundamental Information Science<o:p></o:p></span></strong></p>
<p align="center"
style="mso-margin-top-alt:3.6pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left:0cm;mso-margin-top-alt:.3gd;mso-para-margin-right:0cm;mso-para-margin-bottom:0cm;mso-para-margin-left:0cm;text-align:center;line-height:12.0pt;mso-line-height-rule:exactly;layout-grid-mode:char;background:white"><em><span
lang="EN-US"
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#222222;font-style:normal">Xueshan
Yan</span></em><i><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p
style="mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left:0cm;mso-margin-top-alt:1.0gd;mso-para-margin-right:0cm;mso-para-margin-bottom:0cm;mso-para-margin-left:0cm;text-indent:22.1pt;line-height:13.0pt;mso-line-height-rule:exactly;background:white"><strong><span
lang="EN-US"
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#222222">Inforware*</span></strong><span
lang="EN-US"
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#222222">:
Information must exist in signs, and signs must exist on
substrates**. We define a trinity composed of information,
sign, and substrate as an Inforware.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p
style="mso-margin-top-alt:3.6pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left:0cm;mso-margin-top-alt:.3gd;mso-para-margin-right:0cm;mso-para-margin-bottom:0cm;mso-para-margin-left:0cm;text-indent:22.1pt;line-height:13.0pt;mso-line-height-rule:exactly;background:white"><strong><span
lang="EN-US"
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#222222">Four
Concomitant Disciplines: </span></strong><span
lang="EN-US"
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#222222">Based
on the structure of an inforware, we have Informatics for
studying information, and Semiotics for studying signs—the
existence mode of information. Since communication is the
transmission of information and computation is the
processing of information, we also have another two
fundamental disciplines: Communication Studies and
Computation Studies. These four disciplines are concomitant;
that is, if one is present, the other three (or more) will
eventually emerge.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p
style="mso-margin-top-alt:3.6pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left:0cm;mso-margin-top-alt:.3gd;mso-para-margin-right:0cm;mso-para-margin-bottom:0cm;mso-para-margin-left:0cm;text-indent:22.1pt;line-height:13.0pt;mso-line-height-rule:exactly;background:white"><strong><span
lang="EN-US"
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#222222">Cloud
1. Information and Meaning</span></strong><span
lang="EN-US"
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#222222">:
What is information? Since 1948, information scientists have
been discussing it for 76 years, yet still cannot provide a
definitive answer. What is meaning? Since 1825, linguists
have been debating it for 200 years and still cannot reach a
definitive conclusion. Nevertheless, linguistics has been
established successfully. Let’s consider a hypothesis: if we
were to suspend all discussions about the definition of
information for three years, what else could we do? From a
human perspective, are information and meaning two
homogenous issues</span><span lang="EN-US"
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black">?
Or are they two different expressions of one existence</span><span
lang="EN-US"
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#222222">?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p
style="mso-margin-top-alt:3.6pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left:0cm;mso-margin-top-alt:.3gd;mso-para-margin-right:0cm;mso-para-margin-bottom:0cm;mso-para-margin-left:0cm;text-indent:22.1pt;line-height:13.0pt;mso-line-height-rule:exactly;background:white"><strong><span
lang="EN-US"
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#222222">Cloud
2. Brain Informatics or Animal Informatics</span></strong><span
lang="EN-US"
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#222222">:</span><strong><span
lang="EN-US"
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#222222">
</span></strong><span lang="EN-US"
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#222222">It
has been demonstrated that any organism with a brain
inforware can communicate with others; therefore, brain
informatics must exist, —storing, sending, and receiving
information are fundamental functions of the brain—, and
human informatics already exists. Similarly, we could
explore bee informatics, elephant informatics, and so on.
Can we assume that there are as many types of animal
informatics as there are animal species?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p
style="mso-margin-top-alt:3.6pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left:0cm;mso-margin-top-alt:.3gd;mso-para-margin-right:0cm;mso-para-margin-bottom:0cm;mso-para-margin-left:0cm;text-indent:22.1pt;line-height:13.0pt;mso-line-height-rule:exactly;background:white"><strong><span
lang="EN-US"
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#222222">Cloud
3. Genetics as a Discipline of Informatics:</span></strong><span
lang="EN-US"
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#222222">
Cells can communicate. The central dogma of molecular
biology describes the pathway of DNA→RNA→protein, through
which genetic information flows. In this process, DNA serves
as substrate, bases function as signs, and genomics
represents informatics. If we propose that genetics is the
most successful branch of informatics, what would be the
response from biologists? Could a similar phenomenon also be
observed in neuroscience and endocrinology?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p
style="mso-margin-top-alt:3.6pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left:0cm;mso-margin-top-alt:.3gd;mso-para-margin-right:0cm;mso-para-margin-bottom:0cm;mso-para-margin-left:0cm;text-indent:22.1pt;line-height:13.0pt;mso-line-height-rule:exactly;background:white"><strong><span
lang="EN-US"
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#222222">Cloud
4. Communication between Inforwares</span></strong><span
lang="EN-US"
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#222222">:
Some speculate that two supramolecules can communicate with
each other. But can two ordinary molecules communicate? Can
two atoms communicate? Can two celestial bodies communicate?
Can plants communicate with one another? Can different
inforwares communicate across different levels? Is the
communication between humans and cats true communication
(language comprehension) or false communication (conditional
reflex)?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p
style="mso-margin-top-alt:3.6pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left:0cm;mso-margin-top-alt:.3gd;mso-para-margin-right:0cm;mso-para-margin-bottom:0cm;mso-para-margin-left:0cm;text-indent:22.1pt;line-height:13.0pt;mso-line-height-rule:exactly;background:white"><strong><span
lang="EN-US"
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#222222">Cloud
5. Exploration of Fundamental Information Science</span></strong><span
lang="EN-US"
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#222222">:
Can we regard fundamental information science as an
exploration based on the inductive method, focusing on the
commonalities among various fundamental information
disciplines, especially the four concomitant disciplines
mentioned above? The complexity and enormity of this venture
have far exceeded anyone's imagination. Is it one of the
most challenging disciplines to study in contemporary times?
Or, does it not exist at all?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p
style="mso-margin-top-alt:3.6pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left:0cm;mso-margin-top-alt:.3gd;mso-para-margin-right:0cm;mso-para-margin-bottom:0cm;mso-para-margin-left:0cm;text-indent:22.0pt;line-height:13.0pt;mso-line-height-rule:exactly;background:white"><span
lang="EN-US"
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#222222">---------------------<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p
style="margin:0cm;text-indent:20.15pt;line-height:12.0pt;mso-line-height-rule:exactly;background:white"><em><span
lang="EN-US"
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#222222">*Any
discipline has its own concept framework, which is why I
coined the new term <b>Inforware</b>. For example, the
computer science is built on the two primary concepts of
hardware and software.</span></em><i><span lang="EN-US"
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#222222"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p
style="margin:0cm;text-indent:20.15pt;line-height:12.0pt;mso-line-height-rule:exactly;background:white"><strong><i><span
lang="EN-US"
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#222222;font-weight:normal">**Studies
focused solely on substrates typically fall under the
technical or natural sciences rather than information
science.</span></i></strong><i><span lang="EN-US"
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#222222"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
</div>
<br>
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</pre>
</blockquote>
<div class="moz-signature">-- <br>
<i>
Dr. Eric Werner, FLS <br>
Oxford Advanced Research Foundation <br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://oarf.org__;!!D9dNQwwGXtA!UkEPDBuVF41SE5BvV8FD65kkuzAUlR2CWYFJtzqsbnZop5kHX0aIPAOL8PYVRg4L7f5JLSZvvfyafF8PyBx0U5U$">https://oarf.org</a> <br>
<br>
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