Theory
Information theory
The mathematical study of how information is quantified, stored, and communicated.
Updated Oct 25, 2026 · 1 min read · 8 connections
- Founded
- 1948
- Founder
- Claude Shannon
- Key quantity
- Shannon entropy
Foundations
Claude Shannon’s 1948 paper “A Mathematical Theory of Communication” defined information in terms of uncertainty. Its central measure, Shannon entropy, is built on probability theory and shares its form with entropy in statistical mechanics.
Connections
The theory sets limits on data compression and on reliable transmission over noisy channels. It has been used to analyze the genetic code, and it resolves the paradox of Maxwell’s demon by treating information as physical.
Links to · 5
Linked from · 8
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