Information Society
LEARNING OUTCOMES
AT THE END OF THIS CHAPTER, THE STUDENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO:
1. DETERMINE THE HUMAN AND SOCIAL IMPACTS OF THE
DEVELOPMENTS IN THE INFORMATION AGE;
2. DISCUSS THE EVOLUTION OF TECHNOLOGY FROM THE ANCIENT
TIMES UP TO THE PRESENT; AND
3. ILLUSTRATE HOW SOCIAL MEDIA HAVE AFFECTED THEIR LIVES.
INFORMATION
A word is a combination of sounds that represents something.
It is this significance which makes words distinct from just any kind of vocal
utterance.
Words are made up of sounds and yet they transmit something more significant.
They transmit a message.
The word are “informed” because they carry “information” (Chaisson, 2006; Ben-
Niam, 2015
Words are informed with meaning given by the speaker and intended for the
listeners. Simply put, they communicate meaning.
THE ROLE OF LANGUAGE
In the human quest for understanding the natural world, the ability to name and
classify objects found in nature was seen as a first step in knowing. Thus, the
scientific search for truth early on recognized the usefulness of language and the
ability it gave to make sense of nature. For the ancient Greeks, language was an
object worthy of admiration. Words have power.
Thinking in terms of a common system being generated by the speaker and
received by the listeners is useful in the pursuit of knowledge. Science, from the
Latin word scire (meaning to know), is one kind of knowledge the Greeks wanted
to understand.
The idea of comprehending words as more than just combination of sounds led
the Greek to seek out the principles of everyday language.
A meaningful message is created using ordinary sounds. Its meaning is also not
diminished by multiplication- the speaker can use the same words over and over
again to talk to ten, a hundred, or even a thousand people separately or at the same
time. Nevertheless, the same message will be received by everyone. Words,
therefore can function across space and time without reducing their meaning.
The many seemingly different things in the natural world must have a unifying
factor. There was an inside to be “understood.” They sought for this metapbusis,
literally meaning “after nature” (De Chardin, 1965).
Biologists devised a way to illustrate this principle using a system differentiating
between genus and species. Many species belong in one genus.
MATHEMATICS AS THE
LANGUAGE OF NATURE
Isaac Newton:was an English mathematician, physicist, astronomer, theologian,
and author (described in his own day as a "Natural Philosopher") who is widely
recognized as one of the most influential scientist of all time, and a key figure in
the scientific revolution. His book Philosophiae Natural Principia Mathematics
(Mathematical Principle of Natural Philosophy). First published in 1687, laid the
foundation of classical mechanics. Newton also made seminal contrition to optics,
and shares credit with Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz for developing the infinitesimal
Calculus.
Wigner, 1960:"The unreasonable effectiveness of Mathematics in the National
Science ". In communication in pure and applied Mathematics. Vol. 13,NO. I
(February 1960).New york :John Wiley and sons Inc. Copyright 1960 by John
Wiley and sons.
TECHNOLOGICAL WORLD
Hero of Alexandria:also known as hero of Alexandria was
a Mathematician and engineer who was active in his native
city of Alexandria, Roman Egypt. He is considered the
greatest experimenter of antiquity and his work is
representative of the Hellenistic Science Tradition.
THE PRINTING PRESS AND
BEYOND
The printing press is a device that allows for the mass production of uniform
printed matter, mainly text in the form of books, phamplets and newspaper.
Created in CHINA
Developed in Europe in the 15th Century by Johannes Gutemberg and his
invention of the Gutemberg press.
No one knows when the first printing press was invented or who invented it but
the oldest known printed text originated in China the first millennium A.D.
Through this technology, the ancient Greek idea that knowledge should be shared
and communicated among humans would actually be done on scale unimagined
by its thinkers.
Using the printing press, people on different sides of the world could share their
thoughts and ideas with each other.
New discoveries about the phenomenon of electricity, the radio was built upon the
wave nature of electricity and magnetism, and from there, television followed.
But rather by its electronic replacement, the digital signal or digit.
THE WORLD WIDE WEB
A more modern example of technology feeding upon itself is the 20th century tour
de force: the World Wide Web through the internet. Sir Tim Berners-Lee invented
it as a way of addressing data processing and information sharing needs among
scientists for the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN).
The telegraph and telephone had allowed the transmission of information to
transcend physical boundaries, processing a veritable ocean and mountain of
scientific data generated by the atom smasher needed a new medium.
Social media also encourages building a community of like-minded people. The
creation of these groups often reinforces biases and beliefs based only on the
content that they allow within the community, forgoing the variation and clash of
ideas provided in real life.
Worse, these communities can be tapped by people in power who may take
advantage of these mechanisms controlling public opinion and harassing those
who present opposing views for their own advantage. Meanwhile, the easy access
to personal information makes one susceptible to online predation, identity theft,
and scamming, among others.
Human beings have always found a way to address their needs and discover new
frontiers with scientific thinking. Considering the many benefits we get from
these technologies, we must also responsible in utilizing them to avoid harming
others and ourselves.
