(re-printed in November 2007 with an impressive Names and Subjects index) The author's personal website ,which is devoted entirely to his book, is accesible at:
www.theinformationstory.com.
"A topical review of the book, by SIX OF ONE (the prisoner appreciation society), is given under Preview. Other reviews of the book as well as more background to the book, may be reached at the author's blog: aphilosophyofinformation.wordpress.com.
A Philosophy of Information by Bernard Smith tells us how Information Technology (IT) is changing our lives and may be our species. It warns us of many of its dangers which we ignore at our peril. The book should be of interest to everyone using IT .Indeed because, for human beings, information is exactly the same thing as memory; the book should also be of interest to everyone concerned with human mind and memory.
Our memory is the start of our consciousness and is at the heart of our existence. Like computer memory; our memory may be held in many places; not only in the brain where it is processed but in the body and beyond. The right and proper uses of our memory are examined, as are sometimes less laudable connections like dreaming. Minor aberrations of the mind such as compulsion and eccentricity are also considered, as is serious mental illness.
Human memory is shown to be an important part of meditation, as well as a basis for Faith and similar disciplines. The role of memory in manifestations of the paranormal and in the “appearance” of ghosts is also examined. The effects of IT on global warming are discussed and are identified possibly as great a danger to the environment as are the world’s vast emissions of carbon.
Bernard Smith has spent his entire career working on computers, computer communications, and information technology from their earliest days - firstly for UK central government, and after retirement for several years in Industry.
He was a lifelong member and a Fellow of the British Computer Society until a few years after his retirement.
He has presented several papers at seminars both for HMG and the British Computer society. He wrote a very early, user friendly, Computer Enquiry language, called SPECOL, details of which were published in 1970 by the then UK Civil Service Department. The language is described in his latest book, A Philosophy of Information.