PHILOSOPHY OF INFORMATION PAPER

by Luciano Floridi

Luciano Floridi presents a book that will set the agenda for the philosophy of information. PI is the philosophical field concerned with (1) the critical investigation of the conceptual nature and basic principles of information, including its dynamics, utilisation, and sciences, and (2) the elaboration and application of information-theoretic and computational methodologies to philosophical problems. This book lays down, for the first time, the conceptual foundations for this new area of research. It does so systematically, by pursuing three goals. Its metatheoretical goal is to describe what the philosophy of information is, its problems, approaches, and methods. Its introductory goal is to help the reader to gain a better grasp of the complex and multifarious nature of the various concepts and phenomena related to information. Its analytic goal is to answer several key theoretical questions of great philosophical interest, arising from the investigation of semantic
information.

Genres: Philosophy, Science, Technology, Nonfiction, Computer Science, Library Science, Logic

405 pages, Paperback

First published January 15, 2011

About the author

Luciano Floridi is currently Professor of Philosophy and Ethics of Information at the University of Oxford, Oxford Internet Institute, Governing Body Fellow of St Cross College, Oxford, Senior Member of the Faculty of Philosophy, Research Associate and Fellow in Information Policy at the Department of Computer Science, University of Oxford, and Distinguished Research Fellow of the Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics.

Floridi is best known for his work on two areas of philosophical research: the philosophy of information and information ethics.

Between 2008 and 2013, he held the Research Chair in philosophy of information and the UNESCO Chair in Information and Computer Ethics at the University of Hertfordshire. He was the founder and director of the IEG, an interdepartmental research group on the philosophy of information at the University of Oxford, and of the GPI, the research Group in Philosophy of Information at the University of Hertfordshire. He was the founder and director of the SWIF, the Italian e-journal of philosophy (1995–2008).

Reviews

[Ville Kokko · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't have time (or even competence) for an actual review, but here's a few thoughts. The "levels of abstraction" concept seems like just the thing I've been seeing as necessary everywhere. Basically, it's a formal way of saying you need to know what exactly you're saying, about what, and for what purpose. Further detail was hard for me to grasp, and I know I have a different solution for the Gettier problem, and don't agree you could externally test for someone being a philosophical zombie. I'll probably try to get deeper into this book and use it in my own research.

[Myles · Rating 2 out of 5]

Is the universe digital or analogue? Where does information stack up along side time and energy as a constituent of the universe? There are some great questions to ask about the nature of information and Floridi tries his best to give some academic rigor to the subject. I tried hard, really I did. But I barely understood this book. Information is more than data with meaning. A lot more. And information is more than something that flows through a computer. For example, how does DNS replicate if not with information guiding its actions. While humans make great use information, we are clearly not the only manufacturers of information. Honey bees, for example, communicate and trade information. So clearly, information is bigger than just us and our smartphones.

[danielle; ▵ · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite aspect was how often the writing leaned poetic, but also, the content was both detailed and broad, balancing more than I need for my purposes with clear summaries across many topics to form a cohesive whole.

[Panurge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Floridi makes a case for philosophy of information (PI) as a new first philosophy, at least insofar as it can give a different perspective on the perennial debates in metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of mind and language, and logic and semantics, (the forthcoming sequel to this work will apparently focus on its relation to ethics).

Though this was only my first encounter with Floridi, I can confidently say that he is an excellent stylist. The kind of grand philosophical project undertaken here is rarely seen outside of the continental tradition (which isn't exactly known for its facile prose), but Floridi is able to both paint with broad strokes, situating PI in historical relation to philosophy and science, and cover the technical minutia that will make it relevant to the specialist.

With respect to that last point, this work does not lack for technical passages--an issue that is only compounded by its breadth. If one is aiming to read through the entire book, it would help to have a basic understanding of set theory, modal logic, probability theory (information theory preferably), evolutionary dynamics, formal semantics, and at least a passing knowledge of computer and information systems. Later Sections do somewhat build upon earlier sections, and it's clear that Floridi intended for the reader to proceed in a linear fashion, yet I found the work modular enough that one could skip around if they so desired (I read it straight through myself).

Aside from the inevitable first edition errors, which in no way impede the books cogency, and some rather bloated figures in the later sections, I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about how PI can offer novel orientations to the usual philosophical problems.

[Matthew Humberstone · Rating 4 out of 5]

For the professional community but not impenetrable. Style is a prolix but leavened by enjoyable references.

[Alexander Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first half of this book is very relevant for an information science student or a philosophy student interested in the informational account of world. The last half is a very tedious account that requires a good bit of knowledge of mathematics and formal logic. That aside, it's worth the work if you know it, but it is not accessible to the average information science or philosophy student.

There are many things related to the Symbol Grounding Problem I think are not entirely convincing or straw-persons prior arguments made, but it makes sense that here it would be argued as such because it works within a specific operationalization of Dr. Floridi's General Definition of Information that was not intended by the people referenced. Floridi can only attempt to understand these prior works through his own in this analytical account.

All in all this is a well-structured book arguing important notions, but it has a very limited audience that it should speak towards, and only a subset of them will have the patience to understand what it means. There are likely many more, much simpler ways of operationalizing work for an empirical approach to information science. However, it is very unlikely that they are going to be as well organized philosophically.

That said, I'm looking forward to Floridi's ethical book on information that should be coming.

[Chris Douris · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book felt a bit long at times. The information it contained was fascinating, and it was interesting to compare the current technology to older technology in computing, especially with the rise of large language models. I read the Greek translation of the book and some parts were hard to follow due to the unorthodox translation.

[Romeo Stevens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reconciling OSR and ESR

[Christopher Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible and incredibly relevant.

[Harry Fulgencio · Rating 3 out of 5]

I only read the first two chapters after that it became too much.

I somehow agree with the point of - Gunkel, D. J. (2012). The machine question: Critical perspectives on AI, robots, and ethics. MIT Press. - that this book raised an important an issue about non-humanistic philosophy but in the end i think it wasn't able to escape the humanistic philosophy that it wanted to model or apply the principles of this new philosophy.

Then again Gunkel provided only raised and issue whereas this book provides solution and lens to philosophers and researchers about information. I will probably have to reread this book in the future to further grasps some of it's concepts.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Whilst this book was worthwhile as part of my course, it was very difficult reading. Ultimately, it's a research book unsuitable to Undergraduate study. It's definitely worth trying, but I found that it was a struggle to get through.