Information Theory, developed by Claude Shannon, is concerned with the quantification and transmission of data. Its foundational unit is the bit, a binary measure of uncertainty that enables efficient and reliable communication across noisy channels. This theory abstracts away the meaning of messages, focusing instead on their structure, compression, and fidelity in transit. By contrast, an Intentional Theory—as applied in decentralized systems like Nostr—centers not on data, but on intention. Its basic unit is the event: a signed, uniquely identified message that represents a subjective assertion by an identifiable party.

Intentional Theory draws from a philosophical lineage that includes Franz Brentano’s notion that intentionality—the “aboutness” of mental states—is the defining feature of consciousness. It is further developed by thinkers like John Searle, who emphasized the role of speech acts and collective intentionality in constructing social reality, and Daniel Dennett, who explored how intentional systems behave as if they have beliefs and desires. In this context, intentionality is not merely a mental attribute, but a communicative act that carries significance within a shared social framework.

Whereas Information Theory ensures that a message is transmitted accurately, Intentional Theory ensures that a message is authored intentionally. A signed event becomes a verifiable fact in a minimal sense—proof that someone chose to say something—regardless of whether it is objectively true. Unsigned events, lacking authorship, are treated as unverifiable rumours. In this model, truth is not determined by the system itself but is constructed socially, through interpretation, context, and trust. Information Theory relies on the integrity of the transmission channel; Intentional Theory relies on the integrity of authorship and the surrounding social information. Together, they represent complementary but fundamentally different approaches to understanding communication: one technical, the other philosophical.