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The Emergence and Development of Theoretical Informatics

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The Emergence and Development of Theoretical Informatics tripleC i(i): pp-pp, year ISSN 1726-670X http://www.triple-c.at The Emergence and Development of Theoretical Informatics Duan Zhan-qi，Gao Hong，Jin Xin-zheng Medical information department, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, wuhan430030, China [email protected] Abstract： At present, information technology is developing very rapidly. Numerous traditional disciplines have to be informationized and domain informatics derived from it. It calls for the emergence of theoretical informatics because of the need of domain informatics, National Informatization and the transformation of industrial society to an information society. However, present information theory has limitation, for example, the Shannon communication theory only applies to communications. In this paper, we use the system engineering theory. Firstly we study the background of the theoretical informatics. Secondly we analyze the status of it and the limitation of present information theory. And then we discuss the hotspots of the theoretical informatics both at home and abroad. At last, we point out that the development of it should break out the shackles of theoretical paradigms. Keywords: Theoretical Informatics, Domain Informatics, Shannon Communication Theory, Unified Information Theory Acknowledgement: We are particularly grateful to Professor Jin Xin-zheng who has given us grate help and guidance in writing this paper. theory in the flush development of Math1. On 1. Introduction the road of the development of information In the history of the development of science, science, we are experiencing the most serious the crisis of the basic theory is a common crisis of basic theory in the human civilization phenomenon on the road of subject's process. and the history of scientific development. There were three times of crisis of the basic 1 Zhang Shun-yan. (2003). the Sources and Flow of Mathematics．Beijing：Higher Education Press. CC: Creative Commons License, 2008. 2 Gao Hong There are not only scientific crisis, the reference for information philosophy3. scientific paradigm crisis, but also a crisis of Philosophy, the world outlook and 3. The background of the engenderer methodology crisis. The establishment and of theoretical informatics improvement of theoretical informatics, which 3.1 Numerous domain informatics needs acts as the basic theory of the whole common theoretical foundation information science, is the main symbol of the development and maturity of knowledge In the process of constructing theoretical system of information science. Because the system of domain informatics, the first complete knowledge system of information problem we met is the definition of domain science has not been established in our information which is distinguished from information society; meanwhile, the research particularity of general information definition. objects of present domain informatics are The second problem is the expression of special and the throughway is limited by basic principle of domain informatics, which physical paradigm, it is impossible to uncover is the start of the theories or pre-established the general principals of different information problems. The resolution of these issues is phenomenon. So the development of the subject to the development of theoretical theoretical informatics is the despairing need informatics4. of the development of science and the progress of society2. What is the theoretical 3.2 “National Informatization” requires informatics? How did it engender? What is the theoretical informatics current development of it? All of the above In the 1960s, the scholar in countries like problems were expatiated in this paper. America and Japan propose a theory and method of measuring economic 2. The overview of theoretical informatization, which lay the foundation for informatics the quantitative research on informatization The research object of theoretical development 5 . Compared with developed informatics is information and information countries, the informatization construction in energy of general meaning, its research our country started late. It just began at the content is the regulation in cosmos which middle of 1980s to do the research on the function in the whole information theory of informatization and the method of phenomenon, its research method is the measuring its development. procedure and the rule which can From comparison of informatization universally apply in all kinds of information research between China and the United processes, its research target is to establish 3 Li Zong-rong. (2004). The Concepts, Principles and public theoretical foundation for domain Methodology of Theoretical Informatics．Medical Information, 17(12): 783. informatics to lay foundation for the whole 4 Li Zong-rong, Chen Ze-sheng, Ren Gong-yue Etc. information science and also provide science (1991). Introduction to Medical Information．Wuhan： Wuhan University Press, 4. 5 Wang Ai-lan. (2004). Exploration of How to Perfect 2 Yan Xue-shan. (1999). Some Viewpoints on the the Measurement Index System of National Development of Information Science in the 21st Informatization Level．Theoretical Exploration, (5): Century．Science and Technology Review, (8):3-6. 484-487. CC: Creative Commons License, 2008. tripleC i(i): pp-pp, year 3 States, it can be seen that we must seize its information science. Since 1920s, the connotation in two aspects for the knowledge system concerning information informatization construction of a country. has developed quickly, which is called One is the specific process of informatization; communication theory or information theory. second is its idealistic process. There is no a At the beginning the foundation concerning good idealistic guidelines on informatization, this knowledge system is considered to be there is no an efficient process of mathematics theory concerning informatization. The informatization to the communication. As a result, some scholars idea is subject to the development of concentrate on expanding Shannon theory theoretical informatics. So “National in order to build up generalized informatics, Informatization” requires theoretical or even that of information science. informatics. Afterwards, the computer science and technology are developing prosperously and 3.3 It needs theoretical informatics to widely used. People think that the computer transfer industrial society to an can handle the whole information problems information society omnipotent, and then they rename computer In a certain sense, the stage transition science to information science. The from the industrial society to an information computer is considered to be calculator tool society in broadly can be divided into three and thinking model, which is applied to basic stages: economic restructuring, natural science and social science, urging scientific transition and philosophy transition. the born of a large number of domain In the daily work, study and life, we easily informatics. At the time, theoretical computer realize that something we feel but can't academics is certainly the foundation of immediately comprehend. Computer culture information science. So computer medical becomes the basis of modern human application can be considered to be the civilization. Information products and crossed research between information information services are indispensable to us. science and medical science and so on. No matter when and where the After putting forward the establishment of contemporary people go, they will talk of Unified Theory of Information（UTI，Unified information. We need the unified theory on Theory of Information） in 1994, the scholars the information phenomenon of the universe finally can distinct problems of individuality to further understand of natural and society; and commonness, thinking that the we need theoretical informatics to adapt to communication, control and calculations of the transition from the industrial society to an information all belong to artificial information information society. process, which can't cover natural information phenomenon and life information 4. The engenderer of theoretical phenomenon obviously. Just at this time, the informatics basic research of information knowledge system promotes to a new level of Generally speaking, theoretical Theoretical Informatics. informatics is the basic part of total CC: Creative Commons License, 2008. 4 Gao Hong 5. The status of theoretical developed by Shannon. It together with informatics cybernetics developed by Wiener affected A great majority of information science many disciplines newly developed after the researchers in the domestic and middle of twentieth century. In fact, Shannon international didn’t think the theoretical didn’t declare that a sort of information construction of information science had theory had been founded. On the contrarily, been already completed. On the contrary, a Shannon himself thought of the foundation widespread viewpoint is that the research on of communication theory (that is to say the the foundation theories of information information transmission theory) as his 8 science or the theoretical informatics has contribution . Shannon’s famous work is The just started. 6 , 7 There is never a national Mathematic Theory on Communication. The convention on the subject of the foundation techniques applied in his study and theories of information science and there are description is physical and mathematical only 3 times international meetings of small methods. Generally speaking, the existence
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