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Entropy Revisited

The Florida State University

Diverse usages of the term "entropy " are being encountered in current sys tems and communication literature. This article reviews the evolution of the term and comes to the conclusion that as an information theory con cept "entropy of information " has two faces. We need order and predict ability (low entropy) to a certain degree for ease of understanding and assimilation, but past that point very little information is exchanged. Some degree of randomizing or presenting a message in an unexpected manner will increase entropy or unpredictability of the message, but can also amplify its impact upon the receiver.

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