Metainfo

06/30/2024

Metadata is a set of data that describes and gives information about other data.

An example is a digital photograph’s metadata, which might include the date and time the photo was taken, the camera model used, the file size, where it was taken, etc. Everything but the actual photo.

Similarly metainformation is information that describes and gives information about other information.

The zeroeth law of information thermodynamics is that:

All information known to humans is metainformation.

If you think about it, that statement is self verifying. See below if you don’t believe me.

But it does beg the question, what is information that isn’t metainformation?

I don’t know, I’m only human.

And isn’t the zeroeth law itself just metainformation?

By definition, yes. Oh dear, best not to dwell.