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The derivations utilize the mathematical principle of extreme physical information (EPI). This principle builds on the well known idea that the observation of a "source" phenomenon is never completely accurate. That is, information is inevitably lost in transit from source to observation. Furthermore, the random errors that creep in are presumed to define the distribution function of the source phenomenon. That is, "the physics lies in the fluctuations." Finally, the information loss may be shown to be an extreme value. Thus, if the observed level of Fisher information in the data has value I, and the level of Fisher information that existed at the source has value J, the EPI principle states that I − J = extremum. The extremum is a minimum in most problems, meaning that there is a tendency for any observation to faithfully match up with its source (which is comforting).
The EPI principle is a variational principle that has been used to derive most fundamental laws of physics, as well as laws of biology, cancer growth, chemistryChemistry is the science of matter and its interactions with energy (see physics, biology). Because of the diversity of matter (which is mostly atomic), Chemists are often engaged in the pursuit of studying how atoms interact to form molecules, and how mo, and economicsEconomics is the social science studying how society uses its limited resources to meet desires and wants. Put otherwise, economics studies what, how and for whom society produces. This involves analyzing the production, distribution and consumption of go. These include new laws and concepts as well. In this way, Fisher information, and in particular its loss I − J during observation, provides a bridge for deriving laws of nature in general.
The main reference for the work is the book "Science from Fisher Information, 2nd edition", by B. Roy Frieden ( Cambridge University PressThe Cambridge University Press is a publisher given a Royal Charter by Henry VIII in 1534, and one of the two privileged presses. It published its first book in 1584, making it the longest-established printing house in the world. It is both an academic pu, 2004).