Binding: Paperback
Description: 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: DN a provides the information to create us; we learn through the information fed to us; we relate to each other through information 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. About THE Series: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket - sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts analysis perspective new ideas and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
Title: Information: A Very Short Introduction
Author(s): Floridi Luciano (Luciano Floridi Is The Professor Of Philosophy And Ethics Of Information At The Oxford Internet Institute And A Fellow Of St Cross College Oxford University.)
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Barcode: 9780199551378
Pages: 160 Pages, 15 Black And White Line Drawings
Publication Date: 3/26/2010
Series: Very Short Introductions
Category: Computer Science