CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Definitions of Technology
1.2 Electronics
1.3 The general diagram function-structure
1.4 Points of view on functional electronics
1.5 The "functions" of functional electronics
Notes and references
CHAPTER II
FUNDAMENTAL PROBLEMS OF ELECTRONICS
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Signals
2.3 Signals and noise. Heffner's theorem
2.4 Can we speak of phenomenological signals?
2.5 The problem of information
2.6 Shannonian information
2.7 The minimum energy per transmitted bit
2.8 Information in computers.The maximum capacity of storage of information by a phisical system
2.9 The theorem and the limit of Mremermann
2.10 Minimum energy for processing information
2.11 Algorithmic information
2.12 Algorithmic information after Chaitin
2.13 Is it possible a general theory of information?
2.14 A proposal for a general theory of information
2.15 The problems of information in contemporary conditions
Notes and references
CHAPTER III
STRUCTURAL LIMITS, COMPLEXITY
3.1 The question of structures
3.2 The limits of electronic andinformatic structures
3.3 Fundamental limits
3.4 Device limits
3.5 Circuit and system limits
3.6 Technological limits
3.7 The contemporary structures of electronics
3.8 Becoming structures
3.8.1 GaAs integrated circuits
3.9 Complexity
3.10 Measures of the descriptive complexity
3.11 Computational complexity
3.12 An energetic evaluation of the computational complexity
Notes and references
CHAPTER IV
FORMAL SYSTEMS
4.1 Introduction
4.2 What is formal
4.3 Formal systems
4.4 The proble of definition of a formal system
4.5 Classical definition of a formal system
4.6 Exemples of sintactic formal systems
4.7 Definit and indefinite formal systems
4.8 The reduction of a formal system; some types of formal systems
4.9 Final commentaries
Notes and references
CHAPTER VI
SEMANTIC SYSTEMS AND NATURAL LANGUAGE
6.1 Semantics and semantic systems
6.2 Linguistical semantics
6.3 Linguistic theories
6.4 Points of view concerning the natural language
Notes and references
CHAPTER VIII
FUNCTIONS, ARCHITECTURES AND OBJECTS
8.1 Introduction
8.2 The notion of function
8.3 Mathematical functions and formal functions
8.4 Software as formal functions
8.5 Functional interactions
8.6 Other types of functions than those of formal functions
8.7 The notion of operator
8.8 Architecture
8.9 Objects
8.10 Sintactic automata with finite memory
8.11 Sintactic automata with unbounded memory
8.12 Semantic automata
8.13 Simple organisms
8.14 Complex organisms
8.15 Archems and social archems
Notes and references
CHAPTER IX
MOLECULAR ELECTRONICS
9.1 Perspectives of bioelectronic and molecular electronics
9.2 Points of view on the molecular electronics
9.3 Semiconductor and conductor polymers
9.4 Langmuir-Blodgett films
9.5 The use of the molecules of biological type
9.6 Molecular engineering
9.7 Protein engineering
9.8 The role of nucleic acids
9.9 A theory of the living cell as an abstract organism
Notes and references
NOTE. The chapters 4 (Formal systems), 5 (Information), and 7 (Structures) are written by Gheorghe Stefan. The chapters 10 ( The function of speech) and 11 (Voice signal processing procedures) are written by Corneliu Burileanu.