[lit-ideas] Re: What is information?
- From: "Peter D. Junger" <junger@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 19 Sep 2006 14:38:29 -0400
"Simon Ward" writes:
: When intuition fails, consult a dictionary.
:
: Chambers English Dictionary provides the definition: 'intelligence given'.
:
: This seems to imply a two-stage requirement. What is contained is
: intelligence (ranging from simple to complex) and that it is passed on or
: has been communicated in some way.
:
: Given that, I'm uncertain whether this message can be defined as
: 'information'.
The one thing that is clear is that "information" as that term
is used by Shannon, does not involve "intelligence." I think
this definition is probably using "intelligenxe" in the sense
of the classic apparent oxymoron "military intelligence."
Definitions like that don't seem to help in explaining what
"information" is, since they just raise the question of
what is "intelligence," which can get one into real
difficulties unless "intelligence" just means "information."
--
Peter D. Junger--Case Western Reserve University Law School--Cleveland, OH
EMAIL: junger@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx URL: http://samsara.law.cwru.edu
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