We live an information-soaked existence
- information pours into our lives through television radio books & 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 DNA 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 & measurement in 'bits'- to its role in genetics (we are information) & its social meaning & value He ends by considering the ethics of information including issues of ownership privacy & accessibility; copyright & open source For those unfamiliar with its precise meaning & 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 & richness But for all readers whether from the humanities or sciences Floridi gives a fascinating & 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 & enthusiasm to make interesting & challenging topics highly readable