Information Isn't Free. Even Demons Must Pay

Information isn't just an abstract concept—it has real, physical consequences. Physicists and engineers have long treated information in different ways: one as bits in a message, the other as something tied to the fundamental laws of nature.But Maxwell’s Demon, a thought experiment from the 19th century, revealed a strange connection between information and entropy, suggesting that processing information isn’t free—it has an energy cost. If erasing information increases entropy, what does that mean for things that think? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit suzitravis.substack.com