Coding for recording and recall of information

摘要

To explore the potential fruitfulness of the mathematical theory of communication for information science, we examine the question of how to encode a message at the time it is encountered so that it will come to mind at the time it is needed or can be used. After describing some examples of this problem, we propose a prototype computer program and an experiment, and use these to analyze ways of extending or replacing the classical model of communication theory to include multi-channel, multiway networks with store-and-forward memories. Coding is discussed in the context of associational structures. The general purpose nature of information, and the analogy between “energy as an invariant of motion” and “information as an invariant of thinking” is suggested. It is unlikely that the classical mathematical theory of communication will have great potential applicability to information science without major modification, though some of its concepts have already exerted their influence. A central problem of information science on which to test its applicability is how to find representation mappings (encodings) so that increasingly effective plans and acts can be selected, using meaningful, action-oriented maps that stress use of human effort and time in attending to organized cumulative knowledge that can be brought to bear on human needs at strategic times.