在香农《通信的数学理论》的论文中，他运用概率统计和微积分学的数学方法，定量地描述“电信号”在“信道”上传输过程的物理学规律，完全符合自然科学的范式，被推崇为“定量化”地研究信息的科学模版。但是，我们认为：香农论文“定量”研究的对象，不是“信息”，而是“消息”。消息，作为信息的“载体”，无论是“信号”，还是“符号”都是可以量化的。然而，作为载体的“内容”或者“含义”的信息，它没有重量、不占据空间；它也不存在于牛顿的时间中；因而不可以做物理学的时空度量。在这个意义上，所谓香农“信息论”，实为“消息论”。在香农论文之前，人类以“语言”为载体，非常成功地构造了数千年人类社会的传播史。然而，从威尔伯？施拉姆开始，人们削足适履地按照香农的“数学物理方法”的范式，研究“传播学”的概念、原理与方法，百余年来虽有进展，但是难有根本性的突破。本文作者提出，传播学不是一门自然科学，它属于信息科学；我们应当运用信息科学的时空观和科学范式，重新观察和表述传播学。
In his paper “Mathematical Theory of Communication”, Shannon quantitatively describes the physical law of the transmission process of “electric signal” on “channel” by using the mathematical methods of probability statistics and calculus, which fully conforms to the paradigm of natural science and is praised as a scientific model for “quantitative” research of information. However, we believe that the object of Shannon’s “quantitative” research is not “information”, but “message”. Messages are the “carriers” of information, which can be quantified whether they are “signals” or “symbols”. However, the information which is “content” or “meaning” of material carriers has no weight, and does not occupy space; it does not exist in Newton’s time, therefore, we cannot make a physical space-time measurement for it. In this sense, Shannon’s “theory of information” is actual “theory of message”. Before Shannon’s thesis, human beings took “language” as the carrier and successfully constructed the communication history of human society for thousands of years. However, from Wilbur Schramm, people began to study the concepts, principles and methods of communication in accordance with Shannon’s paradigm of “mathematical-physical method”. Although progress has been made in the past hundred years, it is difficult to make a fundamental breakthrough. The authors of this paper point out that the communication science does not belong to natural science, but an information science. We should use the space-time view and scientific paradigm of information science to re-observe and express communication science.
