Waubonsee Community College

Birth of modern facts, how the information revolution transformed academic research, governments, and businesses, James W. Cortada

eng

Includes bibliographical references (pages 309-425) and index

illustrations

index present

non fiction

Birth of modern facts

bibliography

1351695646

James W. Cortada

how the information revolution transformed academic research, governments, and businesses

"This book tells the story of how information evolved since the mid-nineteenth century by looking at how the volume of facts increase and became organized into disciplines and professions, ranging from how libraries are organized to what scientists discover, economists and political scientists understand, and doctors practice"--, Provided by publisherFor over twenty years, James W. Cortada has pioneered research into how information shapes society. In this book he tells the story of how information evolved since the mid-nineteenth century. Cortada argues that information increased in quantity, became more specialized by discipline (e.g., mathematics, science, political science), and more organized. Information increased in volume due to a series of innovations, such as the electrification of communications and the development of computers, but also due to the organization of facts and knowledge by discipline, making it easier to manage and access. He looks at what major disciplines have done to shape the nature of modern information, devoting chapters to the most obvious ones. Cortada argues that understanding how some features of information evolved is useful for those who work in subjects that deal with their very construct and application, such as computer scientists and those exploring social media and, most recently, history. The Birth of Modern Facts builds on Cortada's prior books examining how information became a central feature of modern society, most notably as a sequel to All the Facts: A History of Information in the United States since 1870 (OUP, 2016) and Building Blocks of Society: History, Information Ecosystems, and Infrastructures (R&L, 2021). -- Provided by publisher

Defining information in modern times -- Second industrial revolution encounters information -- How librarians organized information -- Early encounters by computer builders -- Mathematicians and statisticians create new tools -- Scientists and medical experts shape information -- New business and government information ecosystems -- What information economists created -- Contributions of political scientists and historians to modern information -- How information evolved