Abstract
To understand the definition of information I look first at the definition of a related term—knowledge, which is that which is known. Recorded knowledge is knowledge that has been recorded in some tangible way. It is a common misperception that what we do in the information field is provide information. Rather, what we do is attempt to comprehend potential human information requirements, and then subsequently collect artifacts from which the correct informational instructions can be extracted, synthesized, and communicated. We provide context, and we filter it through our own expertise. Information is knowledge perceived. In colloquial usage the term “information” is used to refer to documents themselves, or even to simple data. It is crucial to comprehend the fact that information is a dynamic process, which is a crucial aspect of human existence. Finally, information can be culturally cloaked in the subjective experiences of those who experience its process.
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Smiraglia, R. (2014). The Nature of Information. In: Cultural Synergy in Information Institutions. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-1249-0_2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-1249-0_2
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