Factual information a tautology?

[Englishfan]

Hi, I often see this word combination:

factual information

Isn’t this what we call a tautology? I mean, how can information not be factual? To me, information means knoweldge or the act of providing knowledge. How can knowledge exist without facts? I think, something that is not based on facts can only be called an assumption.

Any thoughts?

[Alan]

@englishfan

Hi, I often see this word combination:

factual information

Isn’t this what we call a tautology? I mean, how can information not be factual? To me, information means knoweldge or the act of providing knowledge. How can knowledge exist without facts? I think, something that is not based on facts can only be called an assumption.

Any thoughts?

Hi,

What about false information? Misleading information? Unreliable information?

Alan

[Englishfan]

Hi Alan,

I understand that false information, unreliable information, misleading information, etc. are all used in the English language. My question is, how can information be false if information is defined as knowledge or data? I mean if you know something than it must be a fact, otherwise you cannot know it. Something that is not a fact can only be believed to be known. At least that’s how I read the definition of the word information.

[Conchita]

After a few, useless attempts to giving my opinion on the matter, I had to erase my poor arguments – I think all this is too profound for me :? and yet I’m curious to hear another say in it.

[Alan]

@englishfan

Hi Alan,

I understand that false information, unreliable information, misleading information, etc. are all used in the English language. My question is, how can information be false if information is defined as knowledge or data? I mean if you know something than it must be a fact, otherwise you cannot know it. Something that is not a fact can only be believed to be known. At least that’s how I read the definition of the word information.

You must live in a perfect world! Information can easily be false if the person giving it to you believes it to be true.

Alan

[Sidle_Jinks]

Hi englishfan!

@englishfan

I understand that false information, unreliable information, misleading information, etc. are all used in the English language. My question is, how can information be false if information is defined as knowledge or data? I mean if you know something than it must be a fact, otherwise you cannot know it. Something that is not a fact can only be believed to be known. At least that’s how I read the definition of the word information.

In Information Theory there’s another definition of information: information is merely a message, something to be communicated from the sender to the receiver. Therefore it does not have to be accurate - it may be a truth or a lie, it may be anything. It might seem rather strange, but information may be even a noise! Information in this sense is merely any message the sender creates and transfers.

[Alan]

Hi englishfan,

To continue with the point I have already made:

[i][b]You must live in a perfect world! Information can easily be false if the person giving it to you believes it to be true.

Alan[/b][/i]

I refer to the tragic event last week in USA when 13 miners were trapped underground. Initially relatives were told that 12 were saved. Then it transpired that 12 had died. This was described by the authorities later as a miscommunication.

Alan