Milestones in Information Storage and Retrieval Systems and Rawls’ Theory of Justice

Rawl's Theory
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Early Milestones in Information Storage and Retrieval from the Greek Alphabet to the Hypertext System
Traditionally, librarians were tasked with storing and retrieving printed information. They arranged books and other printed materials on shelves in a prescribed order (such as subject classification systems and card catalogs) for people to easily access when necessary. However, the information age and the rapid spread of civilization globally saw the development of large volumes of data from the printing press, making the process of organization and retrieval difficult and tedious. This complexity led to the development of remarkable milestones in information storage and retrieval systems. Furthermore, as the world moved towards knowledge specialization, research became more complex and thorough. The development of new ideas, facts, and terminologies made organizing data and establishing proper relationships with one another even more difficult. Therefore, all efforts were channeled toward discovering new systems and ways of codifying and indexing data for ease of storage and retrieval. These discoveries led to the development of an information storage and retrieval system. It was a discipline focused on the systemic process of collecting and arranging information in a manner that displays the answers of various subjects automatically for ease of retrieval.
The milestones in information storage and retrieval systems are attributed to the invention of the alphabet by the Greeks, the codex and paper, Gutenberg's printing press, newspapers, and hypertext (Quinn, 2009). Around 750 BC, the Greeks developed the first true alphabets (with both consonants and vowels), which consisted of 24 characters. The alphabet enabled the transition of communication from oral to written culture. The alphabets were a simple and efficient way of transforming the early Mesopotamian communication means into written forms.
Another significant advancement in information and technology systems was coding and paper. In the old days, crucial information was recorded on papyrus scrolls wrapped around wooden rods for storage. However, with time, the papyrus scrolls would ware off, distorting the information stored therein. The development of the codex allowed quicker access to written information and proper storage. Codex comprised of rectangular pages sewed together on one side. The pages were made of calfskin (vellum) and sheepskin (parchments), making codex superior to papyrus scrolls as it was durable and could be divided into pages.
In the late middle ages, an explorer from China brought paper technologies that gradually replaced the codex. Johannes Gutenberg developed printing technology that used movable metal planes instead of wood in 1436. It was an effective mass communication tool, especially during the reformation age. The printing press paved the way for newspapers which stimulated free expression as a means of democracy. The government, in turn, responded to newspapers by censorship and licensing. Newspapers were significant in the American Revolution as they aided in unifying colonies and swaying public opinion towards independence.
In 1945, Vannevar Brus...