52
Engineering Systems Integration
lifestyle choices. Material wealth includes all that has the capacity to be converted into cash or cash equivalents. Therefore, one’s time coupled with a
means to generate material wealth during that time could be considered material wealth. Exchanging time, exchanging information, exchanging matter,
and exchanging energy for remuneration in money are examples of the fungibility of material wealth. Broadly speaking, material wealth creates the financial capacity to perform work for money, similar to that of energy representing
the capacity for work through mass. Material wealth has its place in both
human endeavors as well as for natural processes. Material wealth is all that is
referenced by mechanism coupled with abundance or plenitude. Some portions of the ground have an abundance of ground water, while others have a
scarcity of ground water. For natural systems, material wealth can be thought
of as a reserve from which to draw, given appropriately enabled mechanisms.
Information
Energy, matter (mass), and material wealth can all be thought of as information. The term information is used in the sense of data with a context. When
information is combined with a model of relations and data flow, the implications of scaling and interpreting the data within a context forms the basis
for knowledge. The word information is used widely in this book to refer to
data, information, and knowledge.
Information is an inherent attribute of energy, matter, and material wealth.
Information is carried by or in all three. The independence of information as
a primary agent of interaction recommends its inclusion due to the inherent
nature of objects interacting with objects. In other words, information is
included in the nature of the interaction as well as in the essence of an object.
Whereas energy and matter are intrinsically related to mass, information
and material wealth are constructs based on human behavior. Energy and
matter are absolute in their embodiments as an object. In other words, only
one object is necessary to describe energy or mass. Their role in interactions
is to effect the changes that have occurred in two objects. Unlike energy and
mass that have existence in one object, material wealth and information exist
only as a result of transfer from one object to another. All the gold on Earth
has no meaning other than as mass and energy unless another object provides the context of “need” or “want.”* As a means of expressing an attribute
ascribable to gold, an interaction between two objects is the only means of
determining the “value” of the gold. The consequences of an interaction are
predicated on those properties, traits, and attribute.
* Need is something you must believe will solve the problem, is possible, is affordable, can be
provided when desired, and does not cause another problem of such significance that offsets
the benefit of solving the original problem. A want is something that will solve the problem,
but is not necessarily possible, affordable, deliverable, or acceptable. A need is absolute and
unconditional. A want is a desire, as yet unfulfilled.
Engineering Systems Integration
lifestyle choices. Material wealth includes all that has the capacity to be converted into cash or cash equivalents. Therefore, one’s time coupled with a
means to generate material wealth during that time could be considered material wealth. Exchanging time, exchanging information, exchanging matter,
and exchanging energy for remuneration in money are examples of the fungibility of material wealth. Broadly speaking, material wealth creates the financial capacity to perform work for money, similar to that of energy representing
the capacity for work through mass. Material wealth has its place in both
human endeavors as well as for natural processes. Material wealth is all that is
referenced by mechanism coupled with abundance or plenitude. Some portions of the ground have an abundance of ground water, while others have a
scarcity of ground water. For natural systems, material wealth can be thought
of as a reserve from which to draw, given appropriately enabled mechanisms.
Information
Energy, matter (mass), and material wealth can all be thought of as information. The term information is used in the sense of data with a context. When
information is combined with a model of relations and data flow, the implications of scaling and interpreting the data within a context forms the basis
for knowledge. The word information is used widely in this book to refer to
data, information, and knowledge.
Information is an inherent attribute of energy, matter, and material wealth.
Information is carried by or in all three. The independence of information as
a primary agent of interaction recommends its inclusion due to the inherent
nature of objects interacting with objects. In other words, information is
included in the nature of the interaction as well as in the essence of an object.
Whereas energy and matter are intrinsically related to mass, information
and material wealth are constructs based on human behavior. Energy and
matter are absolute in their embodiments as an object. In other words, only
one object is necessary to describe energy or mass. Their role in interactions
is to effect the changes that have occurred in two objects. Unlike energy and
mass that have existence in one object, material wealth and information exist
only as a result of transfer from one object to another. All the gold on Earth
has no meaning other than as mass and energy unless another object provides the context of “need” or “want.”* As a means of expressing an attribute
ascribable to gold, an interaction between two objects is the only means of
determining the “value” of the gold. The consequences of an interaction are
predicated on those properties, traits, and attribute.
* Need is something you must believe will solve the problem, is possible, is affordable, can be
provided when desired, and does not cause another problem of such significance that offsets
the benefit of solving the original problem. A want is something that will solve the problem,
but is not necessarily possible, affordable, deliverable, or acceptable. A need is absolute and
unconditional. A want is a desire, as yet unfulfilled.