Sunday, March 10, 2019

Week 9 - Recent Contributions to the Mathematical Theory of Communication - Ars-onist

Does the communication system introduced in the text represent all forms of communication?

This paper lays out a mathematical model of communication that focuses on how information can be accurately, precisely, and effectively transmitted through a communication channel that results in a “desired conduct”. Based on the Shannon’s ideas, the paper introduces a model that transmits as much messages accurately as possible. Weaver states that entropy/uncertainty is an integral part of communication which can be both beneficial and undesirable to the transmission of messages.

While - true to Weaver’s words - the model can be “indiscriminately” applied to all forms of communication (page 11) as a foundation, there is still more to consider outside of the technical realm. The receiver of a message can send back information in response to the information received, especially in human communication where the place of sender and receiver can be switched from one to another and back. This is not necessarily a "desired conduct"; it doesn’t mean, however, that the communication has failed or ineffective. An example can be found in the form of debate where communication is carried on through disagreement.

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