Information Theory and Knowledge

Distinction between data transmission from one person (or point) to another and the inception of new knowledge is analyzed in relation to information theory. The customary measure H = −∑ipi logpi applies essentially to the former case, and after discussing the requirements appropriate to a yardstick for new knowledge an elementary measure for this concept is tentatively proposed. The intuitive requirements, however, are not all mutually compatible and the present measure can only be regarded as provisional; in particular some ``memory'' characteristics appear mandatory for future development.