Overview

We are surrounded by information. Even the most routine situations in which we find ourselves conceal a hidden information flow. Every step we take, a host of signals meet us, providing information about what is happening in other parts of reality. The cherry tree in bloom reveals that spring has arrived. The footprint left on wet sand indicates that someone has walked along the beach. A red traffic light signals that we must bring our car to a halt. In The Phenomenon of Information, author Mario Pérez-Montoro addresses the problems of providing a theoretical explanation of how a signal carries informational content, how to identify its characteristics, and how to define the mechanisms for describing it. To do this, Pérez-Montoro examines several theoretical approaches to the phenomenon of information: the mathematical theory of communication, Dretske's approach, and the relational theory of meaning. A critique of these efforts leads to the author's definition of informational content, named ""the extensional approach,"" which is designed to overcome the conceptual limitations of the previous theories. The author proposes that his definition might serve as a basis on which a satisfactory analysis of the concept of information can be developed.

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9780810859425

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Reviews

Perez-Montoro's highly detailed book provides a synthesis of today's key theoretical work in the field of information transmission and flow...this book provides a critically needed update in regard to theory and technology...Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty. * CHOICE * Perez-Montor (information science, U. de Barcelona, Spain) endeavors to describe a theoretical definition of information flow that accounts for the necessary and sufficient conditions to conclude that a specific signal carries a particular informational content and also provides a description of the regularities or supporting information links that exemplify the property of reliability (and in some cases fallibility). He first analyzes the main ideas of the mathematical theory of communication, rejecting much but retaining its treatment of informational and communicational constraints. He then turns to philosopher Fred Dretske's analysis of the notion of information, again finding many deficiencies but arguing that the relational theory of meaning presented by philosophers Jon Barwise and John Perry resolves many of these problems, with the significant exception of the failure to satisfactorily explain the reliability and fallibility exhibited by the supporting regularities of information flow. This final deficiency is addressed by Perez-Montor's own existential approach to information flow. * Scitech Book News * Perez-Montoro's highly detailed book provides a synthesis of today's key theoretical work in the field of information transmission and flow...this book provides a critically needed update in regard to theory and technology...Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty. CHOICE Perez-Montor (information science, U. de Barcelona, Spain) endeavors to describe a theoretical definition of information flow that accounts for the necessary and sufficient conditions to conclude that a specific signal carries a particular informational content and also provides a description of the regularities or supporting information links that exemplify the property of reliability (and in some cases fallibility). He first analyzes the main ideas of the mathematical theory of communication, rejecting much but retaining its treatment of informational and communicational constraints. He then turns to philosopher Fred Dretske's analysis of the notion of information, again finding many deficiencies but arguing that the relational theory of meaning presented by philosophers Jon Barwise and John Perry resolves many of these problems, with the significant exception of the failure to satisfactorily explain the reliability and fallibility exhibited by the supporting regularities of information flow. This final deficiency is addressed by Perez-Montor's own existential approach to information flow. Scitech Book News

Perez-Montoro's highly detailed book provides a synthesis of today's key theoretical work in the field of information transmission and flow...this book provides a critically needed update in regard to theory and technology...Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty. CHOICE Perez-Montor (information science, U. de Barcelona, Spain) endeavors to describe a theoretical definition of information flow that accounts for the necessary and sufficient conditions to conclude that a specific signal carries a particular informational content and also provides a description of the regularities or supporting information links that exemplify the property of reliability (and in some cases fallibility). He first analyzes the main ideas of the mathematical theory of communication, rejecting much but retaining its treatment of informational and communicational constraints. He then turns to philosopher Fred Dretske's analysis of the notion of information, again finding many deficiencies but arguing that the relational theory of meaning presented by philosophers Jon Barwise and John Perry resolves many of these problems, with the significant exception of the failure to satisfactorily explain the reliability and fallibility exhibited by the supporting regularities of information flow. This final deficiency is addressed by Perez-Montor's own existential approach to information flow. Scitech Book News

Perez-Montoro's highly detailed book provides a synthesis of today's key theoretical work in the field of information transmission and flow...this book provides a critically needed update in regard to theory and technology...Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty. Choice Perez-Montor (information science, U. de Barcelona, Spain) endeavors to describe a theoretical definition of information flow that accounts for the necessary and sufficient conditions to conclude that a specific signal carries a particular informational content and also provides a description of the regularities or supporting information links that exemplify the property of reliability (and in some cases fallibility). He first analyzes the main ideas of the mathematical theory of communication, rejecting much but retaining its treatment of informational and communicational constraints. He then turns to philosopher Fred Dretske's analysis of the notion of information, again finding many deficiencies but arguing that the relational theory of meaning presented by philosophers Jon Barwise and John Perry resolves many of these problems, with the significant exception of the failure to satisfactorily explain the reliability and fallibility exhibited by the supporting regularities of information flow. This final deficiency is addressed by Perez-Montor's own existential approach to information flow. Scitech Book News

Author Information

Mario Pérez-Montoro is a Professor in the Department of Information Science at the Universitat de Barcelona and IN3 researcher (Internet Interdisciplinary Institute). His work focuses on conceptual, semantic, epistemological and pragmatic aspects of Information Science and Knowledge Management.

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