Machine
Merriam-Webster Definition
- a archaic: a construction thing whether material or immaterial; b:conveyance, vehicle; e: an assemblage of parts that transmit forces, motion, and energy one to another in a predetermined manner or an instrument designed to transmit or modify the application of power, force, or motion; f: a mechanically, electrically or electronically operated device for performing a task.
- a: a living organism or one of its functional systems
- a: a literary device or contrivance introduced for dramatic effect.
A.C. McIntosh Definition
From “Functional Information and Entropy in Living Systems,” pp 115-126, Design and Nature III: Comparing Design in Nature and Science and Engineering, Vol 87 of WIT Transactions on Ecology and the Enviornment, Editor Brebbie, CA, WIT press, 2006, ISBN 1-84564-166-3
1. a functional device which uses energy.
From: School of Process, Environmental and Materials Engineering, University of LEEDS., U.K. LS2 9JT. a.c.mcintosh@leeds.ac.uk
- a device which can locally raise the free energy to do useful work.
Author’s Definition
- An assemblage of parts that performs intelligent work.
- An assemblage of parts designed and built by an abstract or supreme intelligent entity that manipulates matter and energy to achieve desired ends through means that follow the laws of physics, i.e., logically intelligent work.
- An assemblage of parts that performs specified work, by performing an intelligent process that includes steps that sense and/or acquire conditional information, process this information to determine state changes to the system required to achieve the specified result, and control a raised free energy source using mechanism that causes these state changes to occur.
This definition is inclusive of all Webster’s definitions. Intelligent work is defined as work that has a defined purpose. The ability to perform intelligent work requires that the work performed is specified, that is, the correct action (consumption of energy to achieve a specified end) is performed. This requires that the right amount of energy, of the specified form, is applied at the specified place, in the specified direction/orientation at the specified time. Natural causes lack mechanisms to perform such work.
All living things are machines because they are entities that perform intelligent work. However, they are much more than human designed machines due to the ability to reproduce, evolve, adapt, etc..
McIntosh’s definition limits machines only to devices that raise free energy, which may or may not be machines. For example, DC-DC converters and heat pumps are machines whose sole purpose is to raise free energy. A compressed spring and a solar cell are example of mechanisms that can create free energy, but are not machines according the this posited definition, and can only be created by machines.
Machines, by definition, have embedded intelligence, because to perform specified work, logical actions are required to do the specified manipulation of the matter and energy. Machines, to manipulate matter and energy in a specified manner, must themselves be the result of intelligent work by a machine.
Machine function is the result of matter/energy following the laws of physics in the realm of science plus intelligent processing and action in the realm of philosophy. Therefore, machines are entities that join these two realms. The intelligent functionality in machines requires matter/energy to be held in a state away from equilibrium which requires the expenditure of energy running an intelligent process that requires specified mechanism and intelligent work to start the machine process.
© 2016 Mike Van Schoiack