Hierarchy and the Nature of Information

We address the nature of information from a systemic structural point of view. Starting from
the Natural hierarchy of living systems, we elucidate its decomposition into two partial hierarchies
associated with its extant levels and inter-level regions, respectively. External observation of a
hierarchical system involves the generation of approximate hyperscalar representations of these two
partials, which then reintegrate to give a singular metascalar result. We relate Havel’s categories of
reality and Peirce’s categories of experience to this result, and indicate that the ultimate result of the
reintegration of hyperscalar data and context is a sign which is information.