Re: [port-peer-review] reviews
Dear Janos, (01)
> University last year. The problem becomes especially clear when we are
> using computers which are tools inasmuch as their `rules' are (formally)
> defined. How are the rules of a non-formal system defined? If formally,
> then such a system must be a tool; if not formally, then those `rules'
> may not be said defined (I assume that any definition is based on facts
> and principles agreed on, which could be stated explicitly hence also
> formally). (02)
The reason something is a tool is not because it has defined rules. A
hammer does not have defined rules. Something is a tool because it serves
as an instrument for somebody/something to carry out activities. A hammer
allows you to drive nails into a wall. A computer allows you to carry out
many kinds of information and communication processes. (03)
The definitions of the activities served by tools, and the mappings that
explain how a tool exactly serves those activities can be either formal or
informal. The definitions that describe how these dependencies take place,
evolve, etc. are *about* the tools in context, not *part of* the tools. (04)
Cheers, (05)
Aldo (06)
==========================================================================
---/// e-mail: ademoor@kub.nl
IN|F/OLAB phone +31-13-4662914/3020, fax +31-13-4663069
|/// home page: http://infolab.kub.nl/people/ademoor (07)
Dr. Aldo de Moor
Infolab, Dept. of Information Management - Tilburg University
PO Box 90153, 5000 LE Tilburg, The Netherlands
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