[Sigia-l] RE: Data vs. Information

[Boniface Lau]

> From: sigia-l-admin at asis.org [mailto:sigia-l-admin at asis.org]On
> Behalf Of Carol Butler
>  
[...]
> 
> (why do we always spend more time on the data-information part in
> these discussions ... i've seen it happen over and over again
> ... then a few people join in to remind us of knowledge and wisdom
> ... and we all concur ... but data/information keeps coming back as
> a discussion topic.)

"Data" is the most concrete concept among the four (data, information,
knowledge, and wisdom). We feel we know "data" very well. Naturally,
we want to compare it to the next one in the list, "information".
After all, this discussion list is about _information_ architecture.

But there is a gorge between data and information. In "Information
Anxiety 2", RSW wrote on page 19, "information is that which leads to
understanding." To really understand what information is, we need a
good grip on the process of understanding. That is an incredibly
complicated topic. So, instead of going into it, RSW wrote on page 19,
"Everyone needs a personal measure with which to define information."

Here, we don't have among us an expert on "understanding". The "data
vs information" discussion seems to go no where. It is like the Nathan
Shedroff side-bar "An Overview of Understanding" ("Information Anxiety
2" page 27-29) - merely beating about the bush.

People who want to dig deep into the process of understanding may want
to read "Zen and the Brain" by James H. Austin, M.D. - a neurologist
and Zen practitioner.

    http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0262511096

Zen is about understanding reality. And the book explains Zen from the
perspective of various large-scale brain structures.


Boniface