Perspectives on Information (Routledge Studies in Library and Information Science)

✍ Scribed by Magnus Ramage, David Chapman

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2011
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 179
• Edition: 1
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Information is everywhere, and defines everything in today's society. Moreover, information is a key concept in a wide range of academic disciplines, from quantum physics to public policy. However, these disciplines all interpret the concept in quite different ways. This book looks at information in several different academic disciplines - cybernetics, ICT, communications theory, semiotics, information systems, library science, linguistics, quantum physics and public policy. Perspectives on Information brings clarity and coherence to different perspectives through promoting information as a unifying concept across the disciplinary spectrum. Though conceived as a contribution to the ongoing conversation between academic disciplines into the nature of information, the deliberately accessible style of this text (reflecting the authors’ backgrounds at The Open University) will be make it valuable for anyone who needs to know something more about information. Given the ubiquity of information in the 21st century, that means everyone.

✦ Table of Contents

Title......Page 4
Copyright......Page 5
Contents......Page 6
Figures and Tables......Page 8
Acknowledgements......Page 10
1 Introduction......Page 12
2 Competing Models of Information in the History of Cybernetics......Page 19
3 ‘The Information Revolution’: Taking a Long View......Page 32
4 Information, Meaning and Context......Page 47
5 Signs and Signals......Page 62
6 Fundamentals of Information: Purposeful Activity, Meaning and Conceptualisation......Page 76
7 Using Information (and Exformation) to Inform Action......Page 88
8 Information and Libraries: Impact of Web 2.0......Page 102
9 Three Principles of Information Flow: Conversation as a Dialogue Game......Page 117
10 Quantum Information......Page 132
11 Information Policy Making: Developing the Rules of the Road for the Information Society (or the Anatomy of a Digital Economy Act)......Page 145
12 Conclusion......Page 165
Contributors......Page 172
Index......Page 174