Opening the stacks
Opening the stacks
Shannon's theory mathematically formalizes information, linking it to uncertainty, entropy, and enabling the measurement and transmission of messages independent of their meaning.
2 chapters across 2 books
Chapter 13 of James Gleick's "The Information" explores the foundational year 1948 when Claude Shannon published his seminal "A Mathematical Theory of Communication," establishing the bit as a fundamental unit of information. The chapter situates Shannon's work alongside the invention of the transistor, emphasizing the shift from hardware to abstract information theory, and traces the conceptual purification of 'information' into a measurable quantity that underpins modern communication, computation, and biology. It highlights Shannon's unique blend of engineering and mathematics, his influences, and the emergence of information as a central principle across disciplines.
The chapter chronicles Alan Turing's 1943 visit to the United States during World War II, focusing on his critical role in Anglo-American cryptanalytic collaboration, including breakthroughs in decrypting German U-boat Enigma communications and pioneering speech encipherment projects at Bell Labs. It highlights Turing's intellectual engagement with Claude Shannon, bridging cryptanalysis and information theory, while also exploring the moral complexities and cultural challenges he faced amid the evolving scale and impersonality of the war effort.