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Articles: Education/Training | Dharmik Concepts
- Mr. kedarnath jonnalagadda
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Dictionary Meanings - data, information, knowledge, wisdom and consciousness
Dictionaries compile 'commonly understood meanings' of words. In other words a statistical majority of some sort in a population understand the words to mean whatever is given in the dictionary. So, let us see what a few common dictionaries and the 'online thesaurus' with Microsoft Word used for quick reference for word processing have to say.
Data
Merriam-Webster online dictionary - http://www.m-w.com has this.
Da·ta
1 : factual information (as measurements or statistics) used as a basis for reasoning, discussion, or calculation 2 : information output by a sensing device or organ that includes both useful and irrelevant or redundant information and must be processed to be meaningful
3 : information in numerical form that can be digitally transmitted or processed
Does data really mean information? Is information fed into a computer and does it output information? We were taught that raw data is input and processed data is output.
Da·tum
1 plural da·ta: something given or admitted especially as a basis for reasoning or inference
2 plural datums: something used as a basis for calculating or measuring
This is more understandable or is it? In another source too, Cambridge Dictionaries Online http://dictionary.cambridge.org/ data is equated with information too.
data information, especially facts or numbers, collected for examination and consideration and used to help decision-making, or information in an electronic form that can be stored and processed by a computer
And so it is with the online thesaurus with Microsoft Word 2000.
Data with meaning Information has synonyms Statistics, Facts, Figures, Numbers, and Records.
Information
Merriam-Webster online dictionary - http://www.m-w.com equates information with knowledge and intelligence among other things!
in·for·ma·tion 1 : the communication or reception of knowledge or intelligence
2 a (1) : knowledge obtained from investigation, study, or instruction (2) : INTELLIGENCE, NEWS (3) : FACTS, DATA b : the attribute inherent in and communicated by one of two or more alternative sequences or arrangements of something (as nucleotides in DNA or binary digits in a computer program) that produce specific effects c (1) : a signal or character (as in a communication system or computer) representing data (2) : something (as a message, experimental data, or a picture) which justifies change in a...
The Cambridge Dictionaries Online http://dictionary.cambridge.org/ gives a recursive definition that it is facts (or data).
information noun [U] (INFORMAL info) facts about a situation, person, event, etc:
And Microsoft Word 2000 online thesaurus takes the cake! Their lexicographers split information into two portions in and formation and give the meaning 'in order'!
Information has meaning in order! And it has synonyms, in sequence, in turn, in rank, in a row.
Knowledge
Merriam-Webster online dictionary - http://www.m-w.com has a number of things to say on knowledge.
knowl·edge
1 obsolete : COGNIZANCE 2 a (1) : the fact or condition of knowing something with familiarity gained through experience or association (2) : acquaintance with or understanding of a science, art, or technique b (1) : the fact or condition of being aware of something (2) : the range of one's information or understanding c : the circumstance or condition of apprehending truth or fact through reasoning : COGNITION d : the fact or condition of having information or of being learned 3 archaic : SEXUAL INTERCOURSE 4 a : the sum of what is known : the body of truth, information, and principles acquired by mankind b archaic : a branch of learning synonyms KNOWLEDGE, LEARNING, ERUDITION, SCHOLARSHIP mean what is or can be known by an individual or by mankind. KNOWLEDGE applies to facts or ideas acquired by study, investigation, observation, or experience . LEARNING applies to knowledge acquired especially through formal, often advanced, schooling . ERUDITION strongly implies the acquiring of profound, recondite, or bookish learning . SCHOLARSHIP implies the possession of learning characteristic of the advanced scholar in a specialized field of study or investigation
Knowledge is understanding, information and awareness according to Cambridge Dictionaries Online
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/
knowledge noun 1 [S or U] understanding of or information about a subject which has been obtained by experience or study, and which is either in a person's mind or possessed by people generally
2 [U] awareness:
And Microsoft Word 2000 thesaurus has the following.
Knowledge with meaning information has synonyms facts, data
Knowledge with meaning acquaintance has synonyms familiarity, awareness, understanding, comprehension, realization, experience, expertise, skill, know-how, antonym is ignorance
Knowledge with meaning wisdom has synonyms learning, education, intelligence, erudition.
Wisdom
Merriam-Webster online dictionary - http://www.m-w.com says the following on wisdom.
wis·dom
1 a : accumulated philosophic or scientific learning : KNOWLEDGE b : ability to discern inner qualities and relationships : INSIGHT c : good sense : JUDGMENT d : generally accepted belief
2 : a wise attitude or course of action
3 : the teachings of the ancient wise men
Cambridge Dictionaries Online http://dictionary.cambridge.org/ gives the following
wisdom noun [U] the ability to use your knowledge and experience to make good decisions and judgements
And finally, Microsoft Word 2000 Thesaurus has the following words on wisdom.
Wisdom with meaning understanding, has synonyms knowledge, insight, perception, intelligence, acumen, penetration, good judgment, and has antonym foolishnessWisdom with meaning advisability has synonyms desirability, judiciousness, prudence, good sense, suitability, judgment.
An additional source I reluctantly refer is The Oxford Dictionary continuing to be used by school going children in India (5th class onwards - age about 10).
In this there is a separate section for English words specific to the Indian sub continent. In the introduction the editor clubs the following as being region specific Bharath, Bosons, dosas and juggies. These are not mentioned in the main dictionary. Bharath is the age-old name for the country called India during colonial rule. Bosons are elementary sub atomic particles discovered by Indian physicist, Dr. S. Bose. Modern Physics considers these particles to be universal.
On the words of our current interest the dictionary gives the following.
Data / plural noun (also treated as singular) known facts used for inference or reckoning; quantities or characters operated on by computer.
Information / noun what is told; knowledge; news; formal charge or accusation.
Knowledge / noun (usually + of) awareness, familiarity, person's range of information, understanding (of subject); sum of what is known.
Wisdom / noun experience, knowledge, and the power of applying them; prudence, common sense; wise sayings.
The portion 'data is known facts' above is relevant to understanding the primal concept of data. What it is used for is not needed to understand the concept. 'Data is facts' is qualified here with the word known. The opposite of known is unknown. If it is unknown, it cannot be fact. So what is the purpose of the qualifying it? And is there a possibility of existence of partly known facts.
The purpose of this detailed examination is to get a clear-cut idea of what exactly data is and how we can teach that to a school kid today or an intelligent computer tomorrow. Furthermore, we need to know what it exactly is. After all we feed this into our computers and are familiar with the saying, 'garbage in garbage out'. For this, we need to look into what a fact is? The dictionary gives it as follows.
Fact / noun thing known to exist or be true; reality
And what are the meanings of the words thing, exist, true and reality and the qualifying word known? All these are given below.
Thing / noun any possible object of thought or perception including people, material objects, events, qualities, ideas, utterances, and acts colloquial one's special interest; (the thing) colloquial what is proper, fashionable, needed important etc. (in plural) personal belongings, clothing or equipment; (in plural) affairs, circumstances have a thing about colloquial be obsessed by or prejudiced about
Exist / verb be, having being; occur, be found; live with no pleasure; live
True / adjective (-r, -st) in accordance with fact or reality; genuine; loyal, faithful (+ to) accurately conforming to (type, standard); correctly positioned or balanced, level, exact, accurately with out variation
Truth /noun (plural truths) quality or state of being true; what is true
Real /adjective actually existing or occurring; genuine; appraised by purchasing power
Reality / noun (plural ies) what is real or existent or underlies appearances (+ of ) real nature of ; likeness to original. in reality in fact.
Know / verb (past knew past participle known) (often + that, how, what etc) have in mind, have learnt, be acquainted with, recognize, identify; (often + from) be able to distinguish; (as known adjective) publicly acknowledged in the know having inside information; know-how practical knowledge or skill.
Are we closer to knowing what data is? The word wisdom in the dictionary is power for implementing experience and knowledge. So, in order to understand wisdom we need to understand power?
In Physics, power is the rate at which work is done. It is the work / time ratio. And then we need to understand work? Work is force acting upon an object to cause a displacement of the object. So, we can go onwards to the meaning of force… and on and on to a lot of confusion.
The above very reliable English language sources do not give clear meanings for data, information, knowledge and wisdom. And this ought to be a matter of concern. Why are these age-old words not clearly defined? Is it to be understood that since dictionaries have 'commonly understood meanings' there is common confusion?
We need to find out whether dictionaries quoted have not used proper words or whether there is lack of common understanding. And a brave look is needed to know if there is inadequacy in the English language to express these concepts. These are imperative because we cannot allow vulnerabilities to creep into technology and what we bequeath our children and the future.
If we cannot establish unequivocal inter-relationship between data, information, knowledge and wisdom, there can be no 'truth' in our claiming relationship between computers and these concepts.
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