Information as signs: A semiotic analysis of the information concept, determining it's ontological and epistemological commitments
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Information as signs: A semiotic analysis of the information concept, determining it's ontological and epistemological commitments. / Thellefsen, Martin Muderspach; Thellefsen, Torkild Leo; Sørensen, Bent.
In: Journal of Documentation, Vol. 74, No. 2, 2018, p. 372-382.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Information as signs: A semiotic analysis of the information concept, determining it's ontological and epistemological commitments
AU - Thellefsen, Martin Muderspach
AU - Thellefsen, Torkild Leo
AU - Sørensen, Bent
PY - 2018
Y1 - 2018
N2 - PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to formulate an analytical framework for the information concept based on the semiotic theory.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is motivated by the apparent controversy that still surrounds the information concept. Information, being a key concept within LIS, suffers from being anchored in various incompatible theories. The paper suggests that information is signs, and it demonstrates how the concept of information can be understood within C.S. Peirce’s phenomenologically rooted semiotic. Hence, from there, certain ontological conditions as well epistemological consequences of the information concept can be deduced.FindingsThe paper argues that an understanding of information, as either objective or subjective/discursive, leads to either objective reductionism and signal processing, that fails to explain how information becomes meaningful at all, or conversely, information is understood only relative to subjective/discursive intentions, agendas, etc. To overcome the limitations of defining information as either objective or subjective/discursive, a semiotic analysis shows that information understood as signs is consistently sensitive to both objective and subjective/discursive features of information. It is consequently argued that information as concept should be defined in relation to ontological conditions having certain epistemological consequences.Originality/valueThe paper presents an analytical framework, derived from semiotics, that adds to the developments of the philosophical dimensions of information within LIS.
AB - PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to formulate an analytical framework for the information concept based on the semiotic theory.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is motivated by the apparent controversy that still surrounds the information concept. Information, being a key concept within LIS, suffers from being anchored in various incompatible theories. The paper suggests that information is signs, and it demonstrates how the concept of information can be understood within C.S. Peirce’s phenomenologically rooted semiotic. Hence, from there, certain ontological conditions as well epistemological consequences of the information concept can be deduced.FindingsThe paper argues that an understanding of information, as either objective or subjective/discursive, leads to either objective reductionism and signal processing, that fails to explain how information becomes meaningful at all, or conversely, information is understood only relative to subjective/discursive intentions, agendas, etc. To overcome the limitations of defining information as either objective or subjective/discursive, a semiotic analysis shows that information understood as signs is consistently sensitive to both objective and subjective/discursive features of information. It is consequently argued that information as concept should be defined in relation to ontological conditions having certain epistemological consequences.Originality/valueThe paper presents an analytical framework, derived from semiotics, that adds to the developments of the philosophical dimensions of information within LIS.
KW - Faculty of Humanities
KW - Semiotics
KW - Ontology
KW - Epistemology
KW - Information concept
KW - Semiotics of information
U2 - 10.1108/JD-05-2017-0078
DO - 10.1108/JD-05-2017-0078
M3 - Journal article
VL - 74
SP - 372
EP - 382
JO - Journal of Documentation
JF - Journal of Documentation
SN - 0022-0418
IS - 2
ER -
ID: 183765335