Mathematical Programming & Operations Research, Information Science

The Illusion of Reality

Name: The Illusion of Reality
Author: Howard L. Resnikoff
ISBN: 9781461281153

by Howard L. Resnikoff

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Overview

The Illusion of Reality considers information as the subject matter for scientific investigation. The book's objectives are to provide a framework for the study of information as a science; to abstract general principles that govern and constrain information processing and information structures; to illustrate the general principles by examples drawn from the physical and biological sciences and from the theory of computation; and to apply the theoretical approach presented in the book to several interesting new problems. The most important feature of the book is to present a unified approach to the study of information which can be used to view results and applications in the fields of statistical and quantum physics, cognitive psychology, artificial intelligence, computer science, and communication engineering. This approach is illustrated through results in the foundations of the theory of measurements and in machine and human visual information processing. The book should be of interest to both practitioners and students in the above-mentioned fields.

Synopsis

The Illusion of Reality was conceived during my tenure as director of the newly established Division of Information Science and Technology at the National Science Foundation in 1979-1981 as a partial response to the need for a textbook for students, both in and out of government, that would pro vide a comprehensive view of information science as a fundamental constitu ent of other more established disciplines with a unity and coherence distinct from computer science, cognitive science, and library science although it is related to all of them. Driven by the advances of information technology, the perception of information science has progressed rapidly: today it seems well understood that information processing biological organisms and informa tion processing electronic machines have something basic in common that may subsume the theory of computation, as well as fundamental parts of physics. This book is primarily intended as a text for an advanced undergraduate or a graduate introduction to information science. The multidisciplinary nature of the subject has naturally led to the inclusion of a considerable amount of background material in various fields. The reader is likely to fmd the treat ment relatively oversimplified in fields with which he is familiar and, perhaps, somewhat heavier sailing in less familiar waters. The theme of common principles among seemingly unrelated applications provides the connective tissue for the diverse topics covered in the text and, I hope, justifies the variable level of presentation. Some of the material appears here for the first time.

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Editorials

Booknews

Conceived during the author's tenure as director of the Division of Information Science and Technology at the National Science Foundation. Provides a comprehensive view of information science as a constituent of computer, cognitive, and library sciences, although noting distinctions as well. Intended for advanced undergraduate or graduate students of information science. Acidic paper. Extensive references. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)