The Status of Information in Physics: A Comparison of Approaches and the Place of the "Seven Forms of Matter" Model

This paper examines the ontological status of information in physics, identifying three main approaches: informational physicalism (Landauer, Wheeler), critical/deflationary approaches (Alicki, Lairez, Manzotti), and emergent approaches (Russian functional theory, biosemiotics, Luhmann). Informational physicalism claims information is fundamental, citing Landauer’s principle and the “It from Bit” thesis. However, critical work demonstrates that Landauer’s principle is not a fundamental law and that information reduces to probability, making it an epistemic rather than ontic construct. The author proposes the “Seven Forms of Matter” (7FM) model, which occupies a middle position. According to 7FM, the physical level (Form 1) contains no information — only physical configurations exist, which can be interpreted as information only by a conscious interpreter. Information emerges at Form 2 (biological matter) as the capacity to discriminate signals (sense, valence), aligning with biosemiotics. At Form 3 (civilizational matter), information acquires a sign-based nature (semes, memes), resonating with Luhmann’s social systems theory. The model also introduces the BioMU and Cognitium metrological systems for quantitative measurement of informational phenomena at biological and civilizational levels. Advantages of 7FM include: eliminating pseudo-problems (e.g., the black hole information paradox), methodological purity, preserving useful concepts (bit, Shannon, Dawkins) as units of emergence, bridging physics, biology, and social sciences, and providing operational metrological standards. Thus, 7FM offers a systematic positive solution to the problem of information’s status, avoiding both physicalist reductionism and pure negation.