文献类型：期刊文献

英文题名：'No representation without information flow' - Measuring efficacy and efficiency of representation: An information theoretic approach

作者：Feng, Junkang[1,2]; Wang, Yang[2]

第一作者：Feng, Junkang

通讯作者：Feng, J.

机构：[1] Business College, Beijing Union University, Beijing, China; [2] Database Research Group, School of Computing, University of the West of Scotland, Paisley, United Kingdom

第一机构：北京联合大学商务学院

通讯机构：[1]Business College, Beijing Union University, Beijing, China|[1141721]北京联合大学商务学院;[11417]北京联合大学;

年份：2009

卷号：8

期号：3

起止页码：494-505

外文期刊名：WSEAS Transactions on Computers

收录：EI(收录号：20092412121148)

语种：英文

外文关键词：Efficiency - Information systems - Information theory - Semantics - Semiotics

摘要：Representation is a key concept for semiotics and for information systems. Stamper's framework may be seen outlining what is required for the efficacy of signs in standing for (i.e., representing) something else in an organization, among many others. We explore how the efficacy and the efficiency of representation may be measured, which seems overlooked in available literature of information systems and organizational semiotics. And we approach this problem from the perspective of what we call the 'information carrying' relation between the representation and the represented. We model the represented as an information source and the representation an information carrier, and the 'representing' relationship between them as that of 'information carrying'. That is, information is carried and therefore flows. These then are further modeled mathematically as random variables and random events, and a special relationship between random events. This approach enables us to reveal a necessary condition for the efficacy and the efficiency of representation, and to measure it. To this end we extend Dretske's semantic theory of information. The conviction that we put forward here is 'No representation without information flow', based upon which the efficacy and efficiency of a representation system may be measurable.