[Sigia-l] Data, information, knowledge, wisdom

[T. Karsjens]

You are seriously this anti-existentialism, Boniface?

The date written on the piece of paper simply does not exist without someone
or something present to observe it.  It may still exist, however, it is
noise, a scrap of paper lying on a table.  Previous to my having focused on
this hypothetical "date", it was a "scrap of paper".  Therefore, the "date"
written on the "scrap of paper" was data before it became information by
being observed.  The microscopic organisms that exist on that scrap of paper
remain data, even if we are holding that piece of paper, until we place it
under a microscope.

The term "date" is also something that can be debated in your example.  If
my "date" was lying on the table, I would think that there was something
seriously wrong with her.  The label "date" in any case is human specific. 

A sting of numbers written on a piece of paper floating in the ocean means
nothing to a dolphin that has hypothetical deductive logic.

Simply put:
Data: That which exists, but is not observed.
Information: That which exists, which is also observed and interpreted.

It is all about context.

Timothy Karsjens

PS: "there is no spoon" -- this saying may sound flippant, but truly
understanding this statement will set you on the path to enlightenment.

-----Original Message-----
From: sigia-l-bounces at asis.org [mailto:sigia-l-bounces at asis.org] On Behalf
Of Boniface Lau
Sent: Friday, July 01, 2005 7:01 PM
To: 'SIGIA-L'
Subject: RE: [Sigia-l] Data, information, knowledge, wisdom


> From: Ted Han
> 
> > Thus, a date remains as a date even though there is nobody around
> > because that date has some attributes that will likely lead the
> > next person that sees it to interpret it as a date.
> 
> Ah, but this is the critical point isn't it?
> 
> It's not a date unless the person is configured to interpret as a
> date :)

So? The key is in the so-called configuration, not whether there is a
person around.

A date remains as a date even when there is nobody around.

BTW, are you going to back up your claim in the "Professional
Integrity" thread?


Boniface

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