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What is information?: Propagating organization in the biosphere, symbolosphere, technosphere and econosphere

Logan, Robert K. (2014) What is information?: Propagating organization in the biosphere, symbolosphere, technosphere and econosphere. DEMO Publishing, Toronto. ISBN 6978-1-60888-997-6

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Abstract

What is Information? is a unique title within information studies. It is strongly interdisciplinary, crossing information theory, systems theory, new media and cognitive linguistics. Therefore, it may carry provocative themes and insights that require of the reader a broader frame of reference than the known, narrow path. Among these themes is Bob’s notion of different forms and frames of information in ecological contexts. With help from Stuart Kauffman, he shows that biotic information – the instructions of life and reproduction – requires a different theory of information entirely from bit-oriented signal processing (Shannon-Weaver hypothesis).

The book takes on the complex issue of defining information as a carrier of meaning vs signals processed by meaning-makers. Recovering the importance of MacKay’s original contribution of the “distinction that makes a difference,” Logan bridges information and media theory. If meaning is the coherence of organization, then information as meaning remains consistent with the notion of negative entropy. While media may shape the expression and meaning of meaning, it is information that signals the meaning of the medium. The power of language in developing symbols generates a constant source of meanings through information.

To better distinguish these functions of “information” Dr. Logan relates information as a functional power of organization within four ecosystems: Biosphere, Symbolosphere, Technosphere, and Econosphere. The Biosphere gives rise to human cultures through information, and culture gives rise to the other three spheres. Information is the media-tor of these spheres.

Item Type: Book
Additional Information: Printed on Demand (POD) in the United States of America by IngramSpark.
Uncontrolled Keywords: alphabet; adjacent possible; agency; art; autocatalysis; autocatalytic; biology; biosphere; blog; book; brain; Chomsky, Noam; Christiansen, Morten; codex; complexity; computer; computing; culture; Darwin; Deacon, Terrence; Descartes; Digital; Donald, Merlin; duality; economics; econosphere; emergence; evolution; extended mind; falsifiability; global; governance; grammar; Gödel; Gutenberg; Hayles, Katherine; hominid; human; information; Internet; Kauffman, Stuart; Language; Linguistics; literacy; MacKay, Douglas; McLuhan, Marshall; materiality; meaning; media; medium; message; metaphor; mimesis; mind; nature; neo-duality; orality; organism; organization; origin; physiosphere; politics; Popper, Karl; Press; Prigogene, Ilya; propagation; RFID; Shannon, Claude; science; scroll; self-organization; semiotic; semiosis; semantics; SmartBook; sBook; symbiont; symbiosis; symbol; symbolosphere; syntax; tablet; technology; technosphere; thermodynamics; universal grammar, UG; variety; verbal; Web; zero
Divisions: Research Labs > sLAB (Strategic Innovation Lab)
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Date Deposited: 07 Mar 2016 19:17
Last Modified: 20 Dec 2021 20:30
URI: https://openresearch.ocadu.ca/id/eprint/397

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