The best definitions of Data and Information.....not well known. Examples and explanation are my contributions. They are crucial. I use Concept Maps --- Language independent representation of concepts. Well demonstrated. Alerted about the meaning of meaning and knowledge of knowledge. What most people take as meaning of X IS at best "equivalent of X" But NOT "meaning of X". Then what is "meaning"? I have some radical and unsettling proposals. That is a long research report. Watch for new ppts and pdfs. Your knowledge of what knowledge is, could be very wrong. Here again you will discover new basics. Master Data and Information first.

1. Knuth’s Definitions
Data & Information
Putcha V. Narasimham
Knowledge Enabler Systems
putchavn@yahoo.com

2. DATA---Knuth’s Definition
Data: originally
plural of the
word “datum”
but now used as
a singular or
plural:
Data & Information--Knuth's Definitions
Representation in a precise,
formalized language of some facts
or concepts, often numeric or
alphabetic values, in a manner which
can be manipulated by a computational
method
06 JAN 14
2

3. Parsing & Analysis of
Knuth’s Definition of DATA
3
The basic sentence is: Data is representation of X





X can be some facts or concepts,
Representation is precise and is in a formalized language
The language often consists of numeric or alphabetic values,
The representation is such that it (data)
This is indeed
can be manipulated by a computational method
complex
Data & Information--Knuth's Definitions
06 JAN 14

4. Use Concept Maps
See the PPT
with this title
4
Concept Maps &
Knowledge Encoding
Putcha V. Narasimham
Knowledge Enabler Systems
Data & Information--Knuth's Definitions
06 JAN 14

5. Concept Map of DATA-- Knuth
precise & formalized
Data
Represents
Facts
OR
A
computational
method
Is manipulatable by
Concepts
Data & Information--Knuth's Definitions
5
Language
Comprising
Letters of
a script
Numbers
AND
06 JAN 14

6. Information: Original Knuth’s definition
The meaning
associated
with data or
the facts or
concepts
represented
by data
 Meaning itself is very complex
 No agreement on definition or the
meaning of “meaning”
 See authors PPT: Semantic Web--Knowledge, Meaning & Understanding
 Modified definition of information
follows
Data & Information--Knuth's Definitions
06 JAN 14
6

7. Information –modified definition
Information States
what data represents
-------------------------------In a form
Field names: information
And field values: data
Data & Information--Knuth's Definitions
7
Information
Data
First Name
James
Last Name
Bond
Date of Birth
DD MMM YYYYY
10 JUN 1940
Code Number
007
06 JAN 14

8. 8
States what
Data
Represents
Also specifies the units
of measure, permissible
value ranges, etc.
Data & Information--Knuth's Definitions
Facts
OR
Information
Information is What DATA “is about”
Concepts
06 JAN 14

9. Concept Map of Information -- Knuth
Information
9
OR
States which
Facts
Concepts
Data & Information--Knuth's Definitions
Are
Represented
by
Data
Reciprocal relation
Ref: Previous slide
06 JAN 14

10. Misinterpretation of Information
 Often used
also in a
narrower
sense as a
synonym for
“data” or
 Vicious cycle
10
 In a wider sense to include any
concepts which can be deduced from
data
 Such as knowledge or wisdom
 They are NOT of the same kind,
fundamentally
They have NO basis. Don’t use these interpretations
Data & Information--Knuth's Definitions
06 JAN 14

11. Examples of Data and Information
The number is DATA




11
String of
letters
are DATA
 John, Washington
 Hyderabad
 raxitashah83@gmail.com
20 What?
20 Degrees Celsius
20 Meters
The units of
20 $
measure and
explanation are
Information
Data & Information--Knuth's Definitions
Information (not
given here) states
what they represent
06 JAN 14

12. Definitions of Knowledge & Meaning
12
 The Knowledge of Knowledge
 There is a full book The Meaning
is not clear enough
of Meaning by Ogden & Richard
 Author’s reasons are given in
1923---Not satisfactory
 Knuth's Definitions of Data
 See: Semantic Web---Knowledge,
and Information; Proposed
Meaning & Understanding
Definition of Knowledge (pdf)
 To be uploaded to slideshare
 Right here in slideshare
Data & Information--Knuth's Definitions
06 JAN 14

13. Conclusion
 Knuth’s definitions of
data and information
are perhaps the best
 They are explained
using Concept Maps
 They are worth
applying
Data & Information--Knuth's Definitions
13
 We cannot be too sure of
 What we know & What we mean
 The available definitions of
knowledge and meaning are not
satisfactory
 We have some proposals for your
consideration
06 JAN 14
Don’t
Stop