A pivotal question among today's science educators is, How can the teaching of physics be improved in this information age? The topic has recently been discussed in several publications. We propose a direct answer: Formally introduce the concept of information, in its various quantitative forms, into introductory physics coursework. That is, augment the “physicalist” viewpoint of today's physics curriculum with the knowledge-acquisition viewpoint of information theory. But is that heresy?

Physics is ultimately based on observation, and observation entails a flow of information from source to observer. Furthermore, each such flow of information can be analyzed to derive the source law of physics that gave rise to it. 1 Thus, teaching physics from both physicalist and informational viewpoints is both logical and supported by good evidence. One of us (Frieden) taught such a survey course for many years and found that the resulting unified view reaps great benefits in excitement and comprehension, for both the students and the instructor.

Thermodynamics, with its emphasis on measurable extrinsic parameters—and with the implication that our knowledge of them is incomplete 2 —is an obvious starting point for such a program. The lack of complete knowledge underlies, as well, all information theory and provides an entry point for its mathematical analysis. 1 Does that imply use of a particular information concept in the program?

There are many candidates. One, the Shannon–Jaynes information concept, is an outgrowth of the concept of Boltzmann entropy, a linchpin of thermodynamic theory. A second form of information, an outgrowth of the density matrix of quantum statistical mechanics, 1 is Fisher information, in both its classical and quantum 3 varieties. Many of the concepts of thermodynamics and statistical mechanics can be derived by either maximizing Shannon–Jaynes entropy or minimizing Fisher information. 1,2 In addition, Shannon's information theory has been extended to the quantum regime, where it opens up a fascinating world full of surprises 3 and the potential for radical new technology. These surprises center on the concept of entanglement and include quantum computation, quantum cryptography, and quantum teleportation. The basic questions concern how to effectively code, 4 store, process, and transmit information. Many physicists have realized that quantum theory is basically a theory of information, of observing and processing data. Hence, the valuable connections to information should be taught early on.

As a final example, the TCV tokamak at CERN currently uses principles of both maximum entropy and minimum Fisher information to reconstruct laser spot profiles during the implosion process. 5 The international collaboration is using the information concept to help solve one of humanity's most important problems—how to control fusion, with its promise of unlimited energy.

We urge physics educators to join us in looking toward information theory for new approaches to making physics more useful, understandable, and enjoyable.

1.
B. R.
Frieden
,
B. H.
Soffer
,
Phys. Rev. E
52
,
2274
(
1995
).
See also
B. R.
Frieden
, Science from
Fisher Information: A Unification
,
Cambridge U. Press
,
New York
(
2004
).
2.
A.
Plastino
,
A. R.
Plastino
,
M.
Casas
, in
Variational and Extremum Principles in Macroscopic Systems
, vol.
2
,
S.
Sieniutycz
,
H.
Farkas
, eds.,
Elsevier
,
San Diego, CA
(
2005
), p.
379
.
3.
M. A.
Nielsen
,
I. L.
Chuang
,
Quantum Computation and Quantum Information
,
Cambridge U. Press
,
New York
(
2000
).
4.
R. C.
Venkatesan
, in
Exploratory Data Analysis Using Fisher Information
,
B. R.
Frieden
,
R. A.
Gatenby
, eds.,
Springer
,
London
(
2007
), p.
181
.
5.
M.
Anton
  et al. ,
Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion
38
,
1849
(
1996
).