Information Flow
The Logic of Distributed Systems

Presents a mathematically rigorous, philosophically sound foundation for a science of information.

Jon Barwise (Author), Jerry Seligman (Author)

9780521583862, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 28 July 1997

292 pages
23.7 x 15.7 x 2.2 cm, 0.565 kg

"...an important book...useful...inspiring...accessible to most graduate students in logic, computer science, philosophy, mathematics, linguistics, and cognitive science. Everyone working in those areas will find material of interest in the book." Journal of Symbolic Logic

Information is a central topic in computer science, cognitive science and philosophy. In spite of its importance in the 'information age', there is no consensus on what information is, what makes it possible, and what it means for one medium to carry information about another. Drawing on ideas from mathematics, computer science and philosophy, this book addresses the definition and place of information in society. The authors, observing that information flow is possible only within a connected distribution system, provide a mathematically rigorous, philosophically sound foundation for a science of information. They illustrate their theory by applying it to a wide range of phenomena, from file transfer to DNA, from quantum mechanics to speech act theory.

Preface
Part I. Introduction: 1. Information flow: a review
2. Information channels: an overview
3. A simple distributed system
Part II. Channel Theory: 4. Classifications and infomorphisms
5. Operations on classifications
6. Distributed systems
7. Boolean operations and classifications
8. State spaces
9. Regular theories
10. Operations on theories
11. Boolean operations and theories
12. Local logics
13. Reasoning at a distance
14. Representing local logics
15. Distributed logics
16. Logics and state spaces
Part III. Explorations: 17. Speech acts
18. Vagueness
19. Common sense reasoning
20. Representation
21. Quantum logic
Answers to selected exercises
Bibliography
Glossary of notation
Index of definitions
Index of names.

Subject Areas: Mathematical theory of computation [UYA], Philosophy of mathematics [PBB]