%0 Journal Article %1 HMR08 %A Hesse, Wolfgang %A Müller, Dirk %A Ruß, Aaron %D 2008 %J Poiesis & Praxis: International Journal of Technology Assessment and Ethics of Science %K information theory %N 3 %P 159-183 %T Information, information systems, information society: interpretations and implications %U http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10202-008-0044-4 %V 5 %X Abstract  The term “information” has become a universal and omnipresent keyword in almost all areas of our modern world—be it in science or society in general. This is not only obvious from the naming of whole scientific branches like Information Theory, Information Science or Informatics but even more from common speaking—characterising our present time and society as information age viz. information society. However, what “information” might mean, is by no means clear and there is a wide range of interpretations covering, amongothers, its technical, communicational, educational, mental, and scientific aspects. But is the use of the same term justifiedwhen adopted in Biology, Physics, Archaeology, Law, Communication Technology, and Informatics (to list just a few of the involvedscientific branches) or do its different uses at least have some common characteristics—some sort of common denominator? Isinformation natural, e.g. manifesting itself as a material phenomenon residing in organisms, stars, atoms, or genes, or is it just a cultural product of human communication, thinking, and interpretation? In this article, we try to clarify some of the most importantinterpretations, discuss and contrast them with the Informatics point of view. Interpretations range from taking informationas material, transferable signals (following Shannon’s Information Theory or the genetic approaches), treating it as a sign (following a semiotic approach), as a commercial product (now common in Web-based Information Business) to considering it a pure mental phenomenon bound to humans or human-like individuals or even to groups and societies. Based on these interpretations, weshall throw a critical glance on current trends in human science and society—focusing on the now popular concept of “information society”—and then derive some theses and guidelines for further research escorting the growth and dispersal of information technology.As it will turn out, an information society which defines itself through the number of computers, internet connections andnetwork links is based on a very narrow, techno-centric concept of information. However, a reflection on the educational andcultural aspects of information might lead to a better-qualified society consisting of responsible and critical citizens.

@article{HMR08, abstract = {Abstract  The term “information” has become a universal and omnipresent keyword in almost all areas of our modern world—be it in science or society in general. This is not only obvious from the naming of whole scientific branches like Information Theory, Information Science or Informatics but even more from common speaking—characterising our present time and society as information age viz. information society. However, what “information” might mean, is by no means clear and there is a wide range of interpretations covering, amongothers, its technical, communicational, educational, mental, and scientific aspects. But is the use of the same term justifiedwhen adopted in Biology, Physics, Archaeology, Law, Communication Technology, and Informatics (to list just a few of the involvedscientific branches) or do its different uses at least have some common characteristics—some sort of common denominator? Isinformation natural, e.g. manifesting itself as a material phenomenon residing in organisms, stars, atoms, or genes, or is it just a cultural product of human communication, thinking, and interpretation? In this article, we try to clarify some of the most importantinterpretations, discuss and contrast them with the Informatics point of view. Interpretations range from taking informationas material, transferable signals (following Shannon’s Information Theory or the genetic approaches), treating it as a sign (following a semiotic approach), as a commercial product (now common in Web-based Information Business) to considering it a pure mental phenomenon bound to humans or human-like individuals or even to groups and societies. Based on these interpretations, weshall throw a critical glance on current trends in human science and society—focusing on the now popular concept of “information society”—and then derive some theses and guidelines for further research escorting the growth and dispersal of information technology.As it will turn out, an information society which defines itself through the number of computers, internet connections andnetwork links is based on a very narrow, techno-centric concept of information. However, a reflection on the educational andcultural aspects of information might lead to a better-qualified society consisting of responsible and critical citizens.}, added-at = {2009-05-04T15:59:07.000+0200}, author = {Hesse, Wolfgang and Müller, Dirk and Ruß, Aaron}, biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/220eb838431ac176b9a69e5259990e42e/boehr}, interhash = {d88d706cc3351365ecaf4413b67a321d}, intrahash = {20eb838431ac176b9a69e5259990e42e}, journal = {Poiesis & Praxis: International Journal of Technology Assessment and Ethics of Science}, keywords = {information theory}, month = {#sep#}, number = 3, pages = {159-183}, timestamp = {2009-05-04T15:59:07.000+0200}, title = {Information, information systems, information society: interpretations and implications}, url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10202-008-0044-4}, volume = 5, year = 2008 }