The Problem of Information: An Introduction to Information Science

(Paperback)

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Description

Information can be conceptualized in two fundamentally yet contradictory ways - it appears in the world as both a physical and a cognitive phenomenon. The dilemma information specialists face is similar to that of physicists who must cope with light as both a wave and a particle. Unlike physics, however, information science has yet to develop a unified theory that unites the contradictory conceptions of its essential theoretical object. "The Problem of Information" provides an accessible introduction to the essential concepts and research issues of information science while exploring the indeterminate nature of information as a theoretical object. Signifying how information science contributes to the disciplines from which it borrows, this book provides an insight into computer science, cognitive psychology, semiotics, sociology and political science. The work is designed specifically for the beginner student new to the field of information science.

Reviews

A scholarly but highly accessible text recommended for inclusion with Library Science and Information Science reference collections because of its expertly detailed presentation of critical meta-issues concerning texts and references of all subjects. * Wisconsin Bookwatch *

Author Bio

Douglas Raber is Associate Professor in the School of Information Science and Learning Technologies at the University of Missouri.