Philosophy of ICT and Islam
Lecture 3
Data, Information, Knowledge and
Wisdom
Learning Outcome
• Understand the hierarchy of knowledge and
how data, information, knowledge and
wisdom are related.
• Being able to distinguish between data,
information, knowledge and wisdom.
Terminology
• Data
Simple raw facts that are isolated and not
processed. The sources of data could include
measurements, raw output from experiments, etc.
• Information
Relating individual raw facts and
giving it meaning.
• Knowledge
Analysis and identification of
information patterns.
• Wisdom Using knowledge in decision making.
Data, Information, Knowledge and
Wisdom
• It is important to make a distinction between
data, information, knowledge and wisdom.
• Certainly, they are related and dependent on
each other.
Data, Information, Knowledge and
Wisdom (Cont.)
• The hierarchy of knowledge, shown in Figure
below is usually used to present the different
levels of knowledge and how they are related.
Data, Information, Knowledge and
Wisdom (Cont.)
• At the base of the hierarchy is data that represent
simple raw facts.
• The sources of data could include measurements, raw
output from experiments, etc.
• Such facts are isolated and not processed.
• Data can be in the form of numbers, strings of text,
symbols, pictures, etc.
• An example of data is a bookstore database containing
raw data records of books, author details, etc.
Data, Information, Knowledge and
Wisdom (Cont.)
• When individual facts are structured,
aggregated and put a meaningful context,
information is produced
• Establishing relations between individual facts and
giving it some meaning results in information.
• For example, a bookstore database query that
returns all books published after 2008 produces
information.
• In computing, processing data gives information.
Data, Information, Knowledge and
Wisdom (Cont.)
• The interpretation of information gives
knowledge
• Identifying patterns in information to make it useful
produces knowledge.
• For example, when the number of books published
after 2008 are determined and presented year by
year, based on query information, then knowledge is
produced.
• Thus, knowledge is derived from information by
grasping its meaning.
Data, Information, Knowledge and
Wisdom (Cont.)
• Finally applying knowledge and using it in
decision making leads to wisdom.
• Making a decision to order more books published
in 2011 is wisdom
Data, Information, Knowledge and
Wisdom (Cont.)
• An example to illustrate the above concepts,
consider Ahmed’s grade in the ICT & Islamic
Perspective course:
• Data: Ahmed’s grade is A.
• Raw fact.
Data, Information, Knowledge and
Wisdom (Cont.)
• Information: Ahmed’s mark is more than 80%.
• Putting meaning to the data.
• Knowledge: Ahmed passed the ICT & Islamic
Perspective course.
• Analysis of information.
• Wisdom: Ahmed will be appointed as a teaching
assistant for this course next year.
• Making a decision based on knowledge.
Data, Information, Knowledge and
Wisdom (Cont.)
Ahmed
will be appointed as a
teaching assistant for
this course next year.
Ahmed passed the ICT & Islamic Perspective
course. (Analysis of information).
Ahmed’s mark is more than 80%.
Putting meaning to the data.
Ahmed’s grade is A.
Raw fact.
Summary
• In this lesson, the following topics were
discussed:
• Data, Information, Knowledge and Wisdom.