Thank you for the question — the distinction is indeed not obvious at first glance, so let me clarify the terminology.
In the ICT model, “stabilized information” (I_fixed) does not mean spatial localization. It refers to temporal stability — a structure that maintains its form under changes of context (i.e., has a low dI/dT).
“Local,” on the other hand, refers to position — something defined within a particular region of physical space or within an abstract state space.
In short:
local = where it is,
stabilized = how well it persists.
These properties can coincide, but they do not have to. For example, an interference pattern may be local but not stable, while a mathematical invariant may be stable without having any spatial localization.
Within the ICT framework, I_fixed is introduced specifically as temporal stability, not spatial confinement.
Thanks — that’s an important concern, and you’re absolutely right to raise it. Let me clarify why ICT doesn’t require any spatial localization and doesn’t imply metaphysical idealism. In the ICT model, “stabilized information” (I_fixed) isn’t a place in space and not a substance. It’s simply a temporally persistent structure, whatever its physical carrier is. Because of that: ICT doesn’t assume that information has a definite position (so the uncertainty principle is not violated); and it doesn’t require a non-physical “realm” to host information. Everything remains within a physicalist picture: I_fixed = any pattern that keeps its form across time,dI/dT = the rate at which such patterns change. So ICT doesn’t rely on spatial localization and doesn’t push toward idealism — it only reforms the temporal vocabulary we use to describe information dynamics. In ICT, I_fixed is not a Platonic “idea”, not an abstract realm of forms, and not an ontological substrate lurking behind the world. It is simply the minimal temporal stability that any informational process must have in order to persist. “Temporal invariant of minimal change”or dI/dT_min — the condition for the existence of reality. In other words, I_fixed emerges from the process itself — from the fact that some patterns must remain sufficiently stable over time to allow any interaction, measurement, or change.Thus ICT does not assume an idealist metaphysics. It does not place “information” outside reality or above it. Instead, it treats stability (I_fixed) and change (dI/dT) as two inseparable aspects of one physical process. This avoids Platonism entirely: ICT doesn’t posit eternal forms — it formalizes the conditions under which processes can exist at all. Thank you for this incredibly important clarification. This risk genuinely needs to be articulated and addressed explicitly. We will make sure to incorporate it in the next stage of the model’s development and formulate it clearly in writing. Your contribution here is truly valuable — thank you for pointing it out so precisely.
P.S. If the DOCX on Zenodo still doesn’t open on your side, you can use the PDF version instead, or simply read the full article directly in the browser via the Academia link: https://www.academia.edu/s/8924eff666