Titre du document / Document title

Effective complexity as a measure of information content = La complexité effective, une mesure du contenu de l'information

Auteur(s) / Author(s)

MCALLISTER James W. ⁽¹⁾ ;

Affiliation(s) du ou des auteurs / Author(s) Affiliation(s)

⁽¹⁾ Faculty of Philosophy, University of Leiden, P.O. Box 9515, 2300 RA Leiden, PAYS-BAS

Résumé / Abstract

Murray Gell-Mann has proposed the concept of effective complexity as a measure of information content. The effective complexity of a string of digits is defined as the algorithmic complexity of the regular component of the string. This paper argues that the effective complexity of a given string is not uniquely determined. The effective complexity of a string admitting a physical interpretation, such as an empirical data set, depends on the cognitive and practical interests of investigators. The effective complexity of a string as a purely formal construct, lacking a physical interpretation, is either close to zero, or equal to the string's algorithmic complexity, or arbitrary, depending on the auxiliary criterion chosen to pick out the regular component of the string. Because of this flaw, the concept of effective complexity is unsuitable as a measure of information content.

Revue / Journal Title

Philosophy of science    ISSN  0031-8248   CODEN PHSCA6 

Source / Source

2003, vol. 70, n^o2, pp. 302-307 [6 page(s) (article)] (9 ref.)

Langue / Language

Anglais

Editeur / Publisher

University of Chicago Press, Chicago, IL, ETATS-UNIS  (1934) (Revue)

Mots-clés anglais / English Keywords

Quantum mechanics

;

Cosmology

;

Physics

;

Data

;

Contents

;

Measure

;

Effectiveness

;

Complexity

;

Information

;

Algorithm

;

Mots-clés français / French Keywords

Gell-Mann (M.)

;

Mécanique quantique

;

Cosmologie

;

Physique

;

Données

;

Contenu

;

Mesure

;

Effectivité

;

Complexité

;

Information

;

Algorithme

;

Mots-clés espagnols / Spanish Keywords

Mecánica cuántica

;

CosmologÍa

;

FÍsica

;

Informaciňn

;

Localisation / Location

INIST-CNRS, Cote INIST : 24348, 35400011216653.0050