>[!abstract] >In the context of complex systems, functional information refers to the measure of how well a specific configuration of a system can perform a particular function, relative to all possible configurations of that system. It's a way to quantify the complexity of a system based on its ability to achieve desired outcomes. Essentially, it measures the probability that a random configuration of a system will be able to perform a function to a specific degree. >[!example] References >- [[Hazen et al., 2007]] >- [[Quanta Magazine, 2025]] >- [[Szostak, 2003]] >- [[Wong et al., 2023]] >[!related] >- **North** (upstream): [[Information theory]] >- **West** (similar): [[Kolmogorov complexity]] >- **East** (different): — >- **South** (downstream): [[Fitness landscape]]