Understanding Information: From the Big Bang to Big Data

by Alfons Josef Schuster

Overview

The motivation of this edited book is to generate an understanding about information, related concepts and the roles they play in the modern, technology permeated world. In order to achieve our goal, we observe how information is understood in domains, such as cosmology, physics, biology, neuroscience, computer science, artificial intelligence, the Internet, big data, information society, or philosophy. Together, these observations form an integrated view so that readers can better understand this exciting building-block of modern-day society.

On the surface, information is a relatively straightforward and intuitive concept. Underneath, however, information is a relatively versatile and mysterious entity. For instance, the way a physicist looks at information is not necessarily the same way as that of a biologist, a neuroscientist, a computer scientist, or a philosopher. Actually, when it comes to information, it is common that each field has its domain specific views, motivations, interpretations, definitions, methods, technologies, and challenges.

With contributions by authors from a wide range of backgrounds, Understanding Information: From the Big Bang to Big Data will appeal to readers interested in the impact of ‘information’ on modern-day life from a variety of perspectives.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783319590899
Publisher:	Springer International Publishing
Publication date:	07/26/2017
Series:	Advanced Information and Knowledge Processing
Edition description:	1st ed. 2017
Pages:	237
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.25(h) x (d)

Table of Contents

Part I Introduction.- From the Tannh¨auser Gate to z8 GND 5296: A day trip on the life-cycle of information.- Part II The World of Large and Small Systems.- Expanding Beyond the Solar System: Current Observation and Theory.- Information in Quantum Theory.- Part III The World of Living Things.- The Potential of Plants and Seeds in DNA-based Information Storage.- Memory Processing in the Nervous System.- From Computing Machines to Learning Intelligent Machines:Chronological Development of Alan Turing’s Thought on Machines.- Finite Information Agency.- Part V The World of Networks, Clouds, and Big Data Processing.- Distributed and Connected Information in the Internet.- Custom Hardware Versus Cloud Computing in Big Data.- Part VI The World of Society and Philosophy.- Information Overload in a Data-intensive World.- Causal/Informational Theories of Mental Content.- Index.

Editorial Reviews

In this text, Schuster (Waseda Univ., Japan) aims to examine the broad topic of information from a wide variety of angles … which could provide graduate students with indications of suitable fields for research. This text deserves a place as a reference in all university collections. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty and professionals.” (R. Bharath, Choice, Vol. 55 (10), June, 2018)

“This is a very good book! It’s a thought piece about a range of ideas that couples information across several disciplines and across large timeframes. … Each chapter has an extensive and good-quality bibliography. A quick citation search of the references suggests that the resources are well cited. This is a well-written book.” (Robert M. Lynch, Computing Reviews, April, 2018)

From the Publisher