Mousetrap

A mouse trap is a very simple device, but it is a machine and has logic functionality like more complex machines, albeit simpler in form. 

Initial Conditions:  The constructed design of the mousetrap is the starting point as with all machines.  In addition, to be functional, the trap must be baited, then set (rotate the hammer to the “set” position, rotate the trigger rod over it, latch under the trigger clasp).

Process Initiation:  The actual intelligent process does not start until a mouse applies a force (intelligent action) to the bait clasp and releases the trigger clasp.

Sensing/Input Means:  The sensing mechanism is the bait clasp.  The energy to activate the sensor comes from the mouse.  The form of the signal is the force of the mouse pushing on the bait clasp when trying to eat the bait

Logic Processor Means:  The logic processing means is the design of the mechanism that converts the input (mouse force) into the logical output of “kill the mouse” by the signal of un-restraining the trigger rod made possible by the design of the bait clasp, trigger clasp and trigger rod mechanism.  The off-equilibrium matter that implements the logic is the spring induced strain in the trigger bar, trigger clasp and bait clasp while the trap is set.

Actuator:  The actuator is a simple spring mechanism extended to be a hammer that strikes the mouse when released.  The spring is in a non-equilibrium state even when it is not set to provide a substantial force to hold the mouse in place after being struck.  The power source for the kill is provided by the human that further “winds” the spring during the bait/set process.  If the mousetrap was left to decay by natural causes, eventually the wood base would disintegrate and release the remaining “non-set” spring potential energy.

The mousetrap is an excellent example because it shows how logical functionality is contained in even the simplest of machines and the of use off-equilibrium conditions that normally exist in working machines[i]. It illustrates the embedded intelligence in a machine that extends the possibilities of natural causes. 

Engine

An engine is a more complex machine that has many coherent elements that must work in a precise manner for the engine to work.  Figure 2 shows a simple cross section drawing of a one-cylinder diesel engine with detail to show the actions needed to identify the input, signaling, processing and actuator for each process action. Missing in the figure are cooling system, starter motor and the battery to power the ECM (Engine Control Module).   This could be a gas engine if a spark plug was included.  More cylinders could be shown to illustrate the coherence to create smooth performance by staggering the connecting rods on the crankshaft and of the cams on the camshaft.

Initial conditions:  The mechanical design is the first initial condition.  In addition, the cooling system fluid, crankcase oil and fuel must be added.  The fuel lines and the coolant circuit must have trapped air removed.  And the battery must be charged.

Intelligent Process Initiation:  The engine must be started by rotating the engine, details omitted. 

Intelligent Process Actions:  There are three actions. 

Air/Fuel Mixture

The first action of the engine’s intelligent process is to provide the right air to fuel mixture inside the piston during what is called the intake cycle[ii].  During this time, the exhaust valve is closed, the intake valve is open, and the piston is moving downward, drawing in air/fuel mixture from the intake manifold.  The air coming into the combustion chamber passes by the injector, shown under the logic column in Figure 2.  The injector[iii] in combination with the ECM[iv] are the components that provide the coordinated, logical functionality of converting the inputs of fuel pressure, air flow, throttle position voltage, crank position pulse train, and top-dead-center pulse marker into an air/fuel mixture as a function of time to deliver a properly timed and specified air/fuel mixture to the combustion chamber. 

Valve Action

The other two actions are the operation of the intake valve and the exhaust valve.  This is accomplished with a cam that rotates at ½ the rate of the crankshaft accomplished by gearing that is not shown in Figure 2, and which is part of the logical functionality that is not identified in the figure.  The cam shaft has one cam that operates the intake valve to be open during the intake cycle (process step) and closed during the compression, power and exhaust cycles (process steps) and a second cam that operates the exhaust valve to be open during the exhaust cycle and closed for the other three cycles.  The cam operation of the valves, with the help of the valve springs, rocker arm, tappets and push rods are what provides the mechanical logical functionality.

The power to operate the logical processing comes from the power generated from the engine, in two forms.  The first is the torque generated by the engine which drives the gearing that rotates the cams and it keeps the battery charged.  The second is the battery which powers the ECM and the injectors.

Actuator Actions:  The actuator of the engine consists of the pistons, connecting rods, crankshaft, bearing and the mechanical structure surrounding and supporting these moving parts that creates the combustion chamber and the oil pan areas.  The combustion that repeatedly occurs in the combustion chamber resulting from the coherence created by the design and actions of the sensing and logical pieces described earlier, creates the up and down motion of the pistons which is turned into rotational torque by the crankshaft.  This assembly converts the thermal, expanding gas energy into torque in a repeating cycle that occurs every two rotations of the crankshaft.

An engine is an example of a complex mechanical machine whose sensor/input, signaling, processing and actuator functionalities are all merged together in the mechanical design of the system. Mechanical engineers normally do not identify or think in terms of signal and processor means in machines they design as these functionalities are typically merged together in the design.  However, electronic engineers design processing equipment where these functionalities are clearly separated and identified.  However, all machines, of all types, necessarily have these functionalities even if they are merged or hidden.

Feedback Systems and ECM

An engine is, in engineering terms, an example of a feedback control loop since output in the form of rotation and torque is used as inputs to the logical processing components (see Figure 2), as compared to an open loop system like the mousetrap.  This adds another complexity: stability.  Closed loop systems are often inherently unstable, meaning that they will revert to some form of oscillation, and with many systems, cause self-destruction.  Means to stabilize the feedback control systems must be engineered and included as part of such a system.

Feedback control technology is a complex area of engineering and its impact with respect to the engine example was not be discussed as this is an area of design that is not obvious to non-engineers.

Diesel engines in earlier days used mechanical fuel injection systems operated by cams.  One benefit of the use of the ECM coupled with electrically actuated injectors is the ability to add algorithms to stabilize and enhance the performance of the engine compared to the inflexible mechanical means. The ECM is a machine, but it is treated as a component for the purposes of this discussion.

Tools – All Static Things Embedded With Information

The discussion to this point has been about engineered machines. But there is a whole different category of intelligent work creations which are not machines.  For the purposes of this paper all such entities will be called tools.  Therefore, the definition for the term tool will be: an object created by intelligent work that does not perform intelligent work.  This is a very broad definition because it includes everything created by life except for machines.  This includes things we think of as tools (hammer, saw, wrench) but also art (paintings, literature, music, sculpture), medicines, buildings and other structures, telescopes, batteries, makeup, birds nest, bee hive, etc. 

Tools are made by intelligent machines, that is, living things plus machines designed and built by engineers.  Tools have embedded information, but not embedded intelligence like machines.  A logical distinction is that there is a statistical probability that natural causes could create some tools.  In this sense, the ID argument “where does the information come from” is treating life as a tool instead of a machine; both massive understatement because life is so much more than either!

Natural Causes can create objects that can be used as tools.  An example is a rock that has a shape that makes it convenient to use as a hammer.  Or a human can shape a rock to do the same thing.  Other tools, such as an adjustable (Crescent) wrench, must be engineered, i.e., designed and fabricated using intelligent work.

[i] Author’s Definition, Engineer:

Noun 1. a person who designs and builds machines and objects for a specified purpose.

Verb  1. Design and build a machine or object for a specified purpose.

Note: This definition is included to distinguish the design aspect with actualization as it seems they are often conflated and to exclude maintenance which is typically the role of a technician.

See other definitions here.

[ii] Princeton University calls their engineering department “School of Engineering and Applied Science”, see:  https://engineering.princeton.edu/

[iii] Author’s Definition, Mechanism:

1. a methodology including components, elements, parts and the associated energy and information flows enabling a machine, process or system that has demonstrated the ability to achieve its intended result.

Note: This definition is tweaked to include only proven methodologies.  See additional definitions here.

[iv] The reality of the gross disconnect of the complexity of complex systems is expanded in this post:  https://cs21c.com/marvels-taken-for-granted/.

[i]I am not sure that it is a theoretically necessary to have off-equilibrium conditions to achieve logical functionality, but there are logical reasons. If the logical functionality and signaling means requires too much energy, some processes, such as life would not be possible in the form that it exists. The logical functionality in life appears to be controlled by low energy, non-covalent bonds which makes them susceptible to be broken by free energy. This likely is the reason most functional proteins have half-lives. If their logical functionality was implemented by covalent bonds, their half-lives would likely be hundreds of years. Also see endnote 36. The cost of the use of covalent bonds would be greater energy requirements for implementation of the logic functionality.  This is an example of top-down, bottom-up design.  Power requirements to provide the logical functionality must be a starting point consideration before bottom-up design can intelligently started. .  For instance, an engine design could not work if the power required for the valving was more than the engine could produce. Very likely, logic functionality that was implemented by covalent bonds in life is impossible.

[ii] Wikipedia has a nice animation of a four-cycle gasoline engine. A diesel engine is the same except there is no spark plug.  Here is a video that has great animation of the various engine functions by Toyoda.

[iii] The injector and ECM are both machines and could have their own process action diagrams.  Instead, for simplicity, the injector in combination with the ECM are shown in Figure 2 as the components that provide the coordinated, logical functionality.  Physically, however, the injector is located next to the intake valve in the engine.

[iv] Wikipedia has a good description of the Engine Control Unit with explanation of mechanisms using various sensors and algorithms that adjust for various operating conditions.