Single Idea 23798

[catalogued under 18. Thought / C. Content / 12. Informational Semantics]

Full Idea

Information theories of content [usually assume that] a column of smoke over there carries the information that fire is over there because it raises the probability of fire being over there.

Gist of Idea

Information theories say content is information, such as smoke making fire probable

Source

Peter Schulte (Mental Content [2023], 4.2)

Book Reference

Schulte,Peter: 'Mental Content' [CUP 2023], p.28


A Reaction

Theorists usually add further conditions to this basic one. Fred Dretske is the source of this approach. Not promising, in my opinion. Surely the content is just smoke, and fire is one of dozens of possible inferences from it?