From Data to Subjective Experience: A Dialogue

Defining the Hierarchy of Data, Information, Knowledge, Understanding, and Meaning

Ken: Can you help me define the concepts of data, information, knowledge, understanding, and meaning? I’d also like to understand their relationships and hierarchy.

Gemini: Absolutely! These terms form a structured progression, each building on the last:

• Data: Raw, unprocessed facts with no inherent meaning. (e.g., numbers, symbols, or sensory inputs like temperature readings.)
• Information: Data that has been organized and contextualized, answering “who,” “what,” “when,” and “where.” (e.g., A temperature reading of 25°C recorded at a specific time and place.)
• Knowledge: Information that has been analyzed and synthesized to recognize patterns, relationships, and principles, answering “how” things work. (e.g., Recognizing that 25°C is typical in tropical climates but unusual in the Arctic.)
• Understanding: A deeper grasp of why things happen, connecting knowledge to broader concepts and implications. (e.g., Understanding how atmospheric conditions shape climate patterns.)
• Meaning: The personal significance assigned to understanding, shaped by individual experiences, emotions, and…