Information Science: themes, histories and foundations

Abstract

This article handles the historical and theoretical foundations of the scientific field of information. It starts from the hypothesis that the Information Science basis were generated from the emergency of the scientific knowledge paradigm – sustained by the invention of the press – that was established with the first scientific associations, and that the Information Science expansion is linked to the science expansion throughout all the segments of the contemporary society. The article approaches the historical roots of this scientific field from the planetary utopia by Otlet and La Fontaine, the social and technological visions in the Information Science, the present ways and future perspectives. The author defends that the Information Science study subject – information – is a phenomenon related to the scientific knowledge fields as a whole, fitting their interests. The article presents a model of the Information Science interest areas and their interrelationship and possibilities of intervention in society. Finally, the author defends that, to overcome conceptual difficulties originated by the multiple faces inherent to the study object, the Information Science should build a conceptual network, woven from within the view of the various disciplines which this scientific area is related to.