Dunwurkin.co.uk
Home Site Index Photos What's On

 
  statue A Philosophy of Information ( Information is the Power That Drives and Controls Us All ) a book by Bernard T Smith.

You have arrived on this page by seeking information, have you ever thought how information rules our lives? Without information the human race could not or indeed would not exist, in fact without the information of DNA all life would not exist.

Information is power either by being withheld or by being given, it can bring joy or misery, wealth or poverty, war or peace.

What is truth? Is there such a thing as artificial intelligence?

Bernard Smith has written a book on the subject which is well worth reading.

About the book:-

(re-printed in November 2007 with an impressive Names and Subjects index)

A Philosophy of Information by Bernard Smith tells us how Information Technology, or IT, is changing our lives; but it also warns us of many dangers in IT that we ignore at our peril.

The book should be of interest to everyone using IT, as well as to all people (scientists, biologists, neurologists, and many others) who are concerned with the workings of human Mind and Memory.

Our memory (which, after all, is entirely information) is the start of our consciousness. It is at the heart of our very Existence. As with computer memory, our memory is held possibly in many places; and not always where it is processed which, in our case, is the brain. Human memory is believed to be a minute, tiny, ultra microscopic substance, such as is now described in quantum mechanics. The right and proper uses of our memory are examined as are also some of its less laudable connections, - like dreaming (which is not always propitious) and minor aberrations of the mind such as absent mindedness, compulsion, and eccentricity, but also tragically sometimes, very serious mental illness. Human memory is also shown to be an important part of Meditation, Exorcism, Faith Healing, Hypnosis, Ascetics, and even the Paranormal; i.e. in Telepathy, Teleportation, Spiritualism, and the "appearance" of Ghosts.

Not least of the dangers discussed in the book is possibly the effect of Information Technology on Global Warming. Huge, vast, amounts of digital data are now being transmitted every second of every day through all the atoms of matter around us. This, it is suggested, could be contributing as much to the increasing warmth of our planet as is the world's dreadful emission of Carbon.

The book is published by Trafford and you can find out more, read extracts and purchase a copy if you wish by following this link: http://www.trafford.com/05-2299 or visit The Information Story to read the book online.

Bernard now has an interesting blog on Google Connect why not pay him a visit and perhaps share your views and thoughts Information Story-The Blog

Below is a review of the book as published in the November 2006 edition of "ITNOW" the magazine of the "British Computer Society".

Book cover A Philosophy of Information by Bernard Smith

Review of book by the British Computer Society as published in the magazine ITNOW Nov 2006

 

Below is a review by Kristine Morris for

Foreword CLARION Reviews

A Philosophy of Information: Information is the Power that Drives and Controls Us All

Bernard T. Smith

Trafford Publishing

511 pages Softcover

$30.43

978-1-4120-7404-9

Four Stars (out of Five)

The current era has been called "The Age of Information," and much attention is given to the development of faster, more effective, and even more stylish ways to store, retrieve, and transmit that information. But beyond decisions about what new gadget to acquire lies a more pressing issue: the meaning, intent, and effect of the information being transmitted, and its deeper implications for individuals and for the larger world. Author Bernard T. Smith avers that one of the main lessons of human life is learning "how to cope with an infinite mass of information, knowledge, and mystery," and that information is the "most potent agent in nature and, equal to life itself…" Although intangible, information is one's reality, and Smith states that, "Nothing is really known to exist until information about it is passed through a human mind." Information affects one's life for good or for ill depending upon its content, its truth or falsehood, and the use one makes of it; without it life is impossible, and from the cellular level to the far reaches of the universe, effective transmission of the necessary information is imperative. The author, who lives in the United Kingdom, has worked with computers from their earliest beginnings, designing information systems and writing software. He writes from intimate knowledge of information technology and is able to take complex technical topics and present them in a manner that is engaging and accessible to average readers. Since information defines reality, and since it is easily manipulated by anyone with sufficient access and motivation, understanding its nature and meaning is vitally important. Comparing and contrasting the functioning of computers with the way the human brain works, Smith makes readers aware of the blessings and dangers inherent in this "information age," and has much to say about the effects of technology on daily life: "Nowadays, with a mobile telephone in the back pocket, the magic has gone.…Information at the finger tips is not an unmitigated blessing. Our lifestyles, and maybe our spiritual yearnings, are turned upside down because of it. We could be becoming a different kind of being, something not quite human." Indeed, the manipulation of human DNA, the "basic blueprint of life," is "the greatest test yet facing us in the handling of information," and a wide range of benefits and horrors could be made possible through modifications made to the information carried in human genes. Bernard T. Smith invites readers to become part of a vitally important discussion; recognizing that the "Information Age" has brought many blessings, he also brings to light the potential for the manipulation of individuals and populations to their detriment. A more engaging title might carry his invitation to a wider range of readers and include those not particularly drawn to philosophy; they too need to be aware that the relationship between human beings and information has a dark side, and that to ignore this is to risk the survival of humanity.

Kristine Morris

 !  Links

Back to Site Index Page

Back to Calendar

 


Website Copyright©2008 www.dunwurkin.co.uk back to top Home Site IndexPhotosWhat's On