Information Paths in Knowledge Spaces

Abstract

Throughout history, human beings have developed a variety of strategies to traverse the enormous knowledge space and locate specific information. Taking metaphorical use of space as a means of conceptualizing information, namely where numerous information reside could be regarded as a vast space and the trail navigating through the space to find information could be seen as an information path. The referenceable order or structure within information space is crucial in the process of information revisiting. From oral culture, written culture to bits culture, the research intends as a review of diverse methods of information organization, storage and retrieval developed in Western civilization. By looking at representative knowledge management systems in three cultures, the discussion would be approached from the perspectives of mnemotechnics, library science and computer science. (Article content in Chinese with English extended abstract)

Keywords

• information path
• spatial metaphor
• knowledge organization
• information revisiting