2009 Volume 2 Issue 1 Pages 81-90
In this paper, we discuss the infosphere from the viewpoint of an observer. The infosphere, as proposed by Luciano Floridi, is a core concept that integrates separated micro-level information ethics into an integrated information ethics (IE). The goal of IE is to decrease the entropy of the infosphere. When applying IE to actual situations, it is necessary to clarify by whom and from where it is observed because entropy itself is defined and measured from the observer's viewpoint. The theory of Fundamental Informatics (FI) insists that not only human beings but also other living creatures can become observers of the infosphere. On the other hand, a machine cannot be an observer by itself, although it can constitute part of an observer when it is embedded in a complex man-machine system. The informatic turn, which enables this extended notion of an observer, provides criticism on Floridi's infosphere.
