Oxford University Research Group on the Philosophy of Information

The IEG is the result of a collaboration between the Department of Computer Science, University of Oxford (formally the Oxford University Computing Laboratory) and the Faculty of Philosophy, within Oxford. The philosophy of information (PI) is the theoretical field concerned with 1. the critical investigation of the conceptual nature and basic principles of information, including its dynamics, utilisation (especially as far as ethical issues are concerned) and sciences, and 2. the elaboration and application of information-theoretic and computational methodologies to philosophical problems. Historically, the IEG has established PI as an area of specialisation for philosophical enquiries since the mid-nineties. The mission of the IEG is to develop a clear understanding of the nature, scope and life of information. Most of the research done at the IEG is interdisciplinary. Theories, methods and topics are brought together - from computer science, information science, ICT studies, information theory, computer/information ethics, logic, epistemology, philosophy of science, and the history of ideas - in order to investigate foundational and conceptual issues in PI. Current work on PI includes a number of topics related to the nature of semantic information, the logic of information, the informational analysis of knowledge, and foundational and applied issues in information ethics.