Nature, Information & [Digital] Technology [NIT]: Introduction & Elements

Modern era is being characterized by the influence of digital and computer systems. These systems dominate the development of sciences, thus leading to a fuzzy distinction between pure scientific innovation and digital-based progress (e.g. DNA sequencing). However, there is a corresponding directional arrow having as an ending point the face of the digital era; the starting point is ever the origin of natural elements. The contents of this presentation are an attempt to trace in depth and then to provide an overview, as a result of a composite process, of the following assemblage of fundamental elements. These elements refer to the multi-faceted thematic realm of- (a) the ‘physical world’ (the Universe), (b) the information which is usually emitted by this world (though often tacitly), and finally (c) the means and methodology used by modern society in order to deal with this information. The processing of this information is performed, in the vast majority of cases, by means and in terms of digital logic and digital systems. The matter of this presentation should be considered as a generalized introduction to the complete solid of ‘Nature, Information and Technology’ (the NIT whole).