Cell Language Theory, The: Connecting Mind And Matter

184 The Cell Language Theory: Connecting Mind and Matter

b2861 The Cell Language Theory: Connecting Mind and Matter “6x9”

possible English sentences that can be generated in the English lan-

guage would be

W = (a exp b) exp c (4.16)

where (a exp b) means that a is raised to the bth power, i.e., ab. Inserting

Eq. (4.15) into Eq. (4.15) gives

I = log 2 (ab)c

= log 2 (abc)

= bc log 2 (a) (4.17)

Substituting a = 26, b = 10, and c = 10 in Eq. (4.17) gives the average

maximum amount of information that can be carried by an English

sentence

I = 10 × 10 log 2 (26)

= 100 × 4.7

= 470 bits

Note that if there were no sentences in English and only words are

used (i.e., c = 1), the maximum amount of information that can be con-

veyed with an English message would be

I = b log 2 (a) (4.18)

or 47 bits

So, it can be concluded that the reason sentences are used in the

English language is to increase the amount of information that can be car-

ried by one message. This phenomenon is known as double articulation

(see Section 4.2.1).

It is instructive to apply the simplified Shannon’s formula to the

molecular information systems operating in the cell, namely the DNA,

protein, and metabolic pathway systems. Although the term “signal trans-

duction” is often used to indicate information processing by proteins,

there is no reason to exclude information processing occurring in DNA.

b2861_Ch-04.indd 184 17-10-2017 11:58:54 AM