11.2 Information and Communication

11.2 Information and Communication

Everything begins with information. The data set embeds it. The data survey surveys it. Data mining translates it. But what exactly is information ? The Oxford English Dictionary begins its definition with ?The act of informing, . . .? and continues in the same definition a little later, ?Communication of instructive knowledge.? The act referred to is clearly one where this thing, ?information,? is passed from one person to another. The latter part of the definition explicates this by saying it is ?communication.? It is in this sense of communicating intelligence?transferring insight and understanding?that the term ?information? is used in data mining. Data possesses information only in its latent form. Mining provides the mechanism by which any insight potentially present is explicated. Since information is so important to this discussion, it is necessary to try to clarify, and if possible quantify, the concept.

Because information enables the transferring of insight and understanding, there is a sense in which quantity of information relates to the amount of insight and understanding generated; that is, more information produces greater insight. But what is it that creates greater insight?

A good mystery novel?say, a detective story?sets up a situation. The situation described includes all of the necessary pieces to solve the mystery, but in a nonobvious way. Insight comes when, at the end of the story, some key information throws all of the established structure into a suddenly revealed, surprising new relationship. The larger and more complex the situation that the...

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11.2 Information and Communication

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