Abstract

In general, the field of information systems is misconceived: firstly, the term 'information system' is in itself an oxymoron, or extremely close to that; secondly, the traditional scope of books and courses about information systems is too narrow. This is illustrated using definitions or concepts of IS from numerous books. There is an exploration of course materials used for a much wider view of IS demonstrating the feasibility of innovating IS. An examination of the early evolution of the worlds of analysis and design for computer-based information systems comes to the conclusion that the most likely source is the philosopher Rudolf Carnap. Carnap's approach to languages and metalanguage is explored, with the conclusion that the same approach is extensible to a much wider concept of IS. Therefore, innovating the IS concept can be supported by extending the same analysis foundations currently in use. This paper shows how a meta meta modelling approach derived from Carnap's work is perfectly able to model a broad concept of 'information system'. The paper demonstrates how all the systems analysis techniques used in the computer world for the last half-century can be derived and consolidated using a meta language created with Carnap's constructor principles.

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