From: pdavies@alchemy.chem.utoronto.ca (Paul Davies)
Subject: Re: Sources of the concept of "information as space"?
Date: Thu, 12 Dec 1991 19:24:03 GMT
Message-ID: <1991Dec12.192403.20187@alchemy.chem.utoronto.ca>
Organization: University of Toronto Chemistry Department



Someone posted about how a library is a very good analog for an
information space.  There is a very interesting story by Jorge Borges
called _The Library of Babel_ which can be found in the book _Labyrinths,_
which is a collection of short works by Borges.  It describes a reality
that is a library.  In the library are all books which are composed of
all possible combinations of an alphabetic symbol set. In the story, the
main character talks about the nature of the library, whether it is
finite or endless, about it's structure, etc; and about the books in the
library.  In particular he talks about a particular book which allows
one to *decode* the library and thus to reveal truth (or enlightenment,
or etc.).  It is a very good story (as is much of what Borges writes)
and I recommend it as it certainly might provide insight as to
visualizing ideas as space.

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                                 | "The effects of technology do not occur
Paul Davies / Synthetic Man      | at the level of opinions or concepts, but
pdavies@alchemy.chem.utoronto.ca | alter sense ratios or patterns of per-
                                 | ception steadily and without resistance."
                                 |  - Marshall McLuhan
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