Efficiency Theory: a Unifying Theory for Information, Computation and Intelligence

TL;DR

This paper introduces the efficiency theory as a unifying framework that connects information, computation, and intelligence by emphasizing the importance of efficiency over brute force approaches in these fields.

Contribution

It proposes a novel unifying theory of efficiency that integrates concepts from information, complexity, communication, and computation using a common efficiency-based perspective.

Findings

Defines randomness, knowledge, intelligence, and computability through efficiency.

Brings together theories from Shannon, Levin, Kolmogorov, Solomonoff, Chaitin, and Yao.

Establishes efficiency as a fundamental principle across multiple information and computation disciplines.

Abstract

The paper serves as the first contribution towards the development of the theory of efficiency: a unifying framework for the currently disjoint theories of information, complexity, communication and computation. Realizing the defining nature of the brute force approach in the fundamental concepts in all of the above mentioned fields, the paper suggests using efficiency or improvement over the brute force algorithm as a common unifying factor necessary for the creation of a unified theory of information manipulation. By defining such diverse terms as randomness, knowledge, intelligence and computability in terms of a common denominator we are able to bring together contributions from Shannon, Levin, Kolmogorov, Solomonoff, Chaitin, Yao and many others under a common umbrella of the efficiency theory.