Ursula Hentschlaeger
Tracking a Current
Notion of Information
1999
If information is regarded as an
idependent entity, this means, first and foremost, that
information exists as such and without any exterior influence
(naturally).
If information is seen in connection with
understanding and / or meaning, however, then behind that
information there is someone who produces information
(artificially).
This fundamental distinction can be
observed even at the level of algorithmic represent-ation and,
consequently, also applies to the level of development.
BACKGROUND
Information as Power, In: The world within the Web. In between technical
control and media imagination. Doctoral Thesis. University of
Vienna 1999.
The promise that more information would
lead to more knowledge in the sense of understanding was not
fulfilled by the twentieth century, either. Thus, cheers about
a greater extent of democratisation can only be heard for as
long as nobody shuts down the phone networks and for as long as
providers do not, for any reason whatsoever, refuse to render
their services. The fact that electronic networks are in
principle organised in a decentralised way does not necessary
mean that they can do without hierarchies. Thus, the question
remains: who leads these networks, and to what extent can such
leadership be controlled? A connection between power and
control is thus a prerequisite.
(Radical) constructivism as a philosophical
model of the present becomes an interface of several
considerations because machines have started communicating with
each other in parallel with human communication, and we can no
longer entirely keep track of the way in which they do it.
Whilst this communication is initiated by human beings, they
are no longer required. We do not participate in the time,
manner and channels of communication any more; all we can keep
track of are the verifiable results and the statistics prepared
by the respective systems.
INFORMATION
AS ENTITY
INFORMATION
AS POWER
STATEMENTS
