When 'The Difference That Makes a Difference' Makes a Difference: A Bottom-Up Approach to the Study of Information

被引:1
作者
Chapman, David [1 ]
Ramage, Magnus [1 ]
机构
[1] Open Univ, Sch Comp & Commun, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA, Bucks, England
关键词
information; Philosophy of Information; cybernetics; difference; bottom-up approach; narratives; IDENTITY;
D O I
10.3390/info12020077
中图分类号
TP [自动化技术、计算机技术];
学科分类号
0812 ;
摘要
The concept of information is foundational to many disciplines yet also problematic and contested. This article contributes to the understanding of information through discussion of the findings of the interdisciplinary Difference That Makes a Difference (DTMD) project. DTMD used international conferences and workshops to bring together individuals from a wide range of disciplines to share how their field understands information, to engage in interdisciplinary conversations, and to contribute to edited publications. A simple answer to the question 'what is information?' is not forthcoming, but, it is argued, should no more be expected than would be an answer to 'what is matter?'. Nevertheless, through exploration of the areas of consensus that emerged from the bottom-up process of interdisciplinary dialogue, this paper offers ten assertions about the nature of information narratives for further debate. The assertions range from 'information requires a body', through 'information always has meaning' and 'information cannot be stored or communicated' to 'information is always shaped by power, authority and hierarchy'. This article finishes by illustrating and testing the assertions against an information case study of a team of medical experts disseminating information to the general public about the COVID-19 virus.
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页码:1 / 20
页数:20
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