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Mind the Gap: Transitions Between Concepts of Information in Varied Domains

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Theories of Information, Communication and Knowledge

Part of the book series: Studies in History and Philosophy of Science ((AUST,volume 34))

Abstract

The concept of ‘information’ in five different realms – technological, physical, biological, social and philosophical – is briefly examined. The ‘gaps’ between these conceptions are discussed, and unifying frameworks of diverse nature, including those of Shannon/Wiener, Landauer, Stonier, Bates and Floridi, are examined. The value of attempting to bridge the gaps, while avoiding shallow analogies, is explained. With information physics gaining general acceptance, and biology gaining the status of an information science, it seems rational to look for links, relationships, analogies and even helpful metaphors between them and the library/information sciences. Prospects for doing so, involving concepts of complexity and emergence, are suggested.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Information Science, City University London, London, UK

    Lyn Robinson & David Bawden

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  1. Lyn Robinson
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  2. David Bawden
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  1. ELICO – University of Lyon 3, Lyon, France

    Fidelia Ibekwe-SanJuan

  2. Graduate School of Library and Information Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA

    Thomas M Dousa

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Robinson, L., Bawden, D. (2014). Mind the Gap: Transitions Between Concepts of Information in Varied Domains. In: Ibekwe-SanJuan, F., Dousa, T. (eds) Theories of Information, Communication and Knowledge. Studies in History and Philosophy of Science, vol 34. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6973-1_6

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