The nature of information

Starting from the definition of 'information' as a physical surrogate of knowledge (i.e. a spoken or written record), its relation to the originator, and its transformations on com munication to a recipient, and the recipient's mental state and possibly physical (social) reactions to it, are discussed. The transformations of 'information' in information retrieval systems are also considered. It is argued that this is the essen tial basis for developing a true information science.