FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS OF INFORMATION RETRIEVAL
Abstract
The report summarizes the work under four headings. (1) The limits of Information Retrieval, which are set by the Principles of Documentary Impotence and Ignorance. The first asserts, inter alia, that librarians cannot supply documents that have not been written nor can dictate how documents will be used. The second asserts, inter alia, that one cannot tell whether a statement is true just by looking at it or at computations performed upon it. These principles have fruitful consequences. (2) The structure of retrieval services are analyzed and synthesized by identifying various instances of source, destination, designation, code, channel, and message and the sixteen triads of these that do not include both destination and message. Identification varies according to which entities are given, which dependent. (3) Documentary 'aboutness' varies as designation is related to message with respect to source, destination, or code. Extensional aboutness (what a document refers to) differs from intensional aboutness (why a document is about what it is about). (4) 'Information Sciences or Technologies' are largely applications of distinct techniques to documentary problems. If there be any common principles, these arise from their application to aid discourse, not from the disciplines from which these techniques originate. The report lists publications and presentations carried out under the Grant.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 1968
- Accession Number
- AD0677289
Entities
People
- Robert A. Fairthorne
Organizations
- State University of New York at Albany