by Jaidev Adigopula

Created on: September 27, 2010   Last Updated: September 29, 2010

The continuum of things we know begins with “data” and eventually culminates in “knowledge”. Defining these, lays the foundation to understanding their more communication-oriented and functional facet, also known as “information”.

* Data

As conscious individuals, we live in and interact with the universe around us. This objective universe sends us a multitude of sensory input, collectively known as “data”. We filter and process the sensory input into usable structures stored in memory. These data structures could be enriched with further data about the data itself such as originator, date of creation etc (hence known as “metadata”). Such metadata-enriched data is often termed “content” in the computer world.

In essence, data is objective, standalone and has no meaning in itself. It merely comprises impressions of the universe on the subjective self. It might be usable or not.

* Knowledge

When the raw or processed data is interpreted, analyzed and used to create further data by learning, then knowledge emerges. Knowledge is a form that is capable of generating more of its kind, independent of stimuli from an external universe. It is at a level that can explore or answer profound questions such as why it itself exists.

In essence, knowledge is a most abstract fabric of data that is philosophically linked to the concept of consciousness. In more material terms it is a complex form of data that is capable of properties such as self awareness and modification.

* Information

Information derives from the term “to inform” and is thus implicitly related to the communication of data or knowledge. Thus any data or knowledge within a subject (such as a human, a computer or other) that is not communicated is not information. And conversely, not all data or knowledge possessed by the subject is communicated as information.

In essence, information is that part of data or knowledge that is transferred across and holds meaning to both the source and the destination. If a source does not transfer the knowledge it possesses it does not produce information. If it does not produce any information, it does not exhibit intelligence.

In these days of modern technology, the sources; volume; media and the channels of communication of data have quite simply exploded. Humans and systems are adapting and evolving to deal with the new orders of magnitude gradually leading to an increase in per-capita knowledge possessed. And with emerging trends such as the social web and crumbling communication barriers, the spectrum of information we deal with is making our world an interesting place to live in indeed.

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