Information : a very short introduction.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Floridi, Luciano.

Series:

Very short introductions.

Very short introductions

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Knowledge, Sociology of.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xv, 130 pages) : illustrations.

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Oxford : Oxford University Press, 2010.

Summary:

We live an information-soaked existence - information pours into our lives through television, radio, books, and of course, the Internet. Some say we suffer from 'infoglut'. But what is information? The concept of 'information' is a profound one, rooted in mathematics, central to whole branches of science, yet with implications on every aspect of our everyday lives: DNA provides the information to create us; we learn through the information fed to us; we relate to each other throughinformation transfer - gossip, lectures, reading. Information is not only a mathematically powerful concept, but its critical role in society raises wider ethical issues: who owns information? Who controls its dissemination? Who has access to information?Luciano Floridi, a philosopher of information, cuts across many subjects, from a brief look at the mathematical roots of information - its definition and measurement in 'bits'- to its role in genetics (we are information), and its social meaning and value. He ends by considering the ethics of information, including issues of ownership, privacy, and accessibility; copyright and open source. For those unfamiliar with its precise meaning and wide applicability as a philosophical concept, 'information' may seem a bland or mundane topic. Those who have studied some science or philosophy or sociology will already be aware of its centrality and richness. But for all readers, whether from the humanities or sciences, Floridi gives a fascinating and inspirational introduction to this most fundamental of ideas.

Contents:

Cover Page

Copyright Page

Very Short Introductions

Title Page

Contents

Acknowledgements

List of Illustrations

List of tables

Introduction

Chapter 1 The information revolution

Chapter 2 The language of information

Chapter 3 Mathematical information

Chapter 4 Semantic information

Chapter 5 Physical information

Chapter 6 Biological information

Chapter 7 Economic information

Chapter 8 The ethics of information

Epilogue: the marriage of physis and techne

References

Index

Expand your collection of VERY SHORT INTRODUCTIONS

INTELLIGENCE A Very Short Introduction

ANARCHISM A Very Short Introduction.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9786613222718

1-283-22271-X

0-19-157298-5