Information and Its Philosophy

Abstract

Three problems in relation to Luciano Floridi’s work on the Philosophy of Information (PI) and the relationship of PI to Library and Information Science (LIS) are considered: the claim that LIS is a materials-based discipline, Floridi’s claim about Information as a message transfer system, and his downgrading of Social Epistemology to be a subset of PI. The recent history of LIS and the practice of professional library work are examined for evidence of the basis for making claims about LIS. A view of information based on individual interpretations is preferred to Floridi’s account, which is found to be too innocent of LIS practice to be accepted without revision, as is his view of LIS as an applied PI.