On Communication. An Interdisciplinary and Mathematical Approach (eBook)

This book offers a radical new theoretical approach for the understanding of communication. The theory is operationalized by the application of certain computer programs, namely Soft Computing programs like cellular automata and artificial neural nets. In many examples the authors demonstrate how it is possible to model and analyze communicative processes, such as social combined with cognitive ones.

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This book originated in the last four years when we were lecturing both in communication and computer science at the University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany. Therefore, it was rather obvious for us to integrate these two sci- tific disciplines and to analyze the problem of the general logic of communicative processes by the use of suited computer models and mathematical concepts. The result of these efforts is this book and it is up to the readers if our attempts are successful. We could never have finished this study without the enthusiastic interest of many students in both sciences. Several of them are named in the book who implemented specific computer programs as part of their respective MA-thesis. We have also to thank several colleagues in communication and computer science, who supported our work in many ways. We frequently experienced that the old and venerable paradigm of especially the German University "e;the unity of research and teaching"e; (Humboldt) is far from dead and can be updated any time, provided a suited research project. Our special thanks go to Jorn Schmidt from the former Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Higher Education at our University, whose constant help was invaluable to us. Each new scientific approach is only possible because it stands, to quote Newton, "e;on the shoulders of giants"e;. Therefore, we dedicate this book in memoriam to two great pioneers in communication science, namely Claude E. Shannon and Gerold Ungeheuer.