Exformation

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Exformation (original spelling in Danish: eksformation ) is a term used in 1991 by the Danish science journalist and non-fiction author Tor Nørretranders in his book Spüre die Welt. The science of consciousness (original title: Mærk verden ) was coined. The meaning of the term is "information intentionally left out". In addition, the term has also been used in other meanings relating to information , for example as a term for “useful and relevant information” or as a special type of information explosion .

Meaning according to Nørretranders

Effective communication is based on a shared body of knowledge between the communicating people. By using words, sounds and gestures, the speaker deliberately gives off a large amount of information, which, however, remains implicit. This shared context is known as an exformation.

Exformation is everything that you don't actually say, but have in mind when, or before, you say something at all. Information, on the other hand, is the measurable, verifiable utterance that is actually said.

When someone talks about computers, what they are saying will make more sense to someone who already has a prior idea of ​​what a computer is, what it is good for, and the context in which it might come across. The amount of exformation cannot be inferred from the informal content of the message alone.

In 1862 the author Victor Hugo wrote to his publisher to inquire about the success of his latest book, Les Misérables . Hugo only wrote the punctuation mark “?” In his message, to which the publisher replied with the punctuation mark “!” To say that it was selling well. This exchange of messages would not make sense for a third person, since the shared context is unique to the participants. The amount of information (a single punctuation mark) was extremely small, but the exformation conveyed the meaning clearly.

“Thought, argues Nørretranders, is in fact a process of chucking away information, and it is this detritus (happily labeled exformation) that is crucially involved in automatic behaviors of expertise (riding a bicycle, playing the piano), and which is therefore the most precious to us as people. "

“Thinking, argues Nørretranders, is actually a process of throwing information away, and it is this detritus (happily referred to as exformation) that is crucial in automatic behaviors with specialist knowledge (cycling, playing the piano) and therefore the most valuable [process] for us People is. "

- The Guardian , September 1998

See also

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Hugh Fox: Science Fiction Dictionary , accessed June 17, 2012
  2. ^ Stanislaw Lem : Exformation . Telepolis , January 30, 1997, accessed June 17, 2012
  3. ↑ Tor Nørretranders: SCIENCE: NUDGE NUDGE, WINK WINK , The Independent , August 30, 1998, accessed June 17, 2012

literature

  • Tor Nørretranders: Feel the World: The Science of Consciousness . Rowohlt, Reinbek bei Hamburg 1997, ISBN 3-499-60251-2 , p. 655 .

Web links