Our group question this week concerned the play Waiting for Godot. The questions centered on whether or not the “information” would differ if the medium was the text of the play versus a performance and whether or not a reading of the text would produce different information for two individuals.
It is often difficult to navigate when dealing with specific definitions of similar concepts and the material this week is a perfect example. As the chapter defines “data” as a way of representing facts, I think I would have called it symbolism…likewise I think I would have called information which the chapter describes as “aggregated data, which become information when processed by the human mind,” perception.
I would have described how we use symbols to represent things that we observe and when those symbols are understood in a framework they would become data and when that data is processed by our mind it would become perception…
But not only does this illustrate how “information” can differ for individuals depending on perspective it also shows how important “literacy” (the framework by which we understand a set of data) is.
I’m going to stop here before I start to confuse myself…
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Thursday, January 25, 2007
chapter 1
When reflecting on Chapter 1 this week I have been thinking about how information devices (and services) are affecting societies, particularly in light of the knowledge that access can vary between different groups within the society.
The difference has been observed between racial groups as well as groups with different physical abilities. It is also easy to imagine large differences centered on economic or even ideological reasons. Obviously the nation’s homeless or Amish have a comparatively low presence on the internet.
In the past, devices have been able to bridge vast gaps. Television, for example, undoubtedly helped to create and continues to strengthen a national identity with the same entertainment and news broadcast to the entire country. Clearly, people without televisions would experience a certain degree of isolation.
The technology of information devices has now created a new situation that may have an even more profound effect on American society and it operates in almost the exact opposite way.
The internet has made it possible for people to receive extremely tailored and customized entertainment and news. People are increasingly receiving different sets of information and different versions of the same information.
If you have spent any time at all on the internet you have likely seen highly specific and homogenous societies emerging all over. This is a new example of how disparities (not in access but in use) created by information devices can affect societies.
The difference has been observed between racial groups as well as groups with different physical abilities. It is also easy to imagine large differences centered on economic or even ideological reasons. Obviously the nation’s homeless or Amish have a comparatively low presence on the internet.
In the past, devices have been able to bridge vast gaps. Television, for example, undoubtedly helped to create and continues to strengthen a national identity with the same entertainment and news broadcast to the entire country. Clearly, people without televisions would experience a certain degree of isolation.
The technology of information devices has now created a new situation that may have an even more profound effect on American society and it operates in almost the exact opposite way.
The internet has made it possible for people to receive extremely tailored and customized entertainment and news. People are increasingly receiving different sets of information and different versions of the same information.
If you have spent any time at all on the internet you have likely seen highly specific and homogenous societies emerging all over. This is a new example of how disparities (not in access but in use) created by information devices can affect societies.
Friday, January 19, 2007
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