On the Mathematical Theories and Cognitive Foundations of Information
Yingxu Wang · International Journal of Cognitive Informatics and Natural Intelligence · 2015
A recent discovery in computer and software sciences is that information in general is a deterministic abstract quantity rather than a probability-based property of the nature. Information is a general form of abstract objects represented by symbolical, mathematical, communication, computing, and cognitive systems. Therefore, information science is one of the contemporary scientific disciplines collectively known as abstract sciences such as system, information, cybernetics, cognition, knowledge, and intelligence sciences. This paper presents the cognitive foundations, mathematical models, and formal properties of information towards an extended theory of information science. From this point of view, information is classified into the categories of classic, computational, and cognitive information in the contexts of communication, computation, and cognition, respectively. Based on the three generations of information theories, a coherent framework of contemporary information is introduced, which reveals the nature of information and the fundamental principles of information science and engineering.