From Information Warfare to Cognitive Warfare: A Theoretical Examination of Power, Perception, and Consciousness
Bilgi Savaşından Bilişsel Savaşa: Güç, Algı ve Bilinç Üzerine Kuramsal Bir İnceleme Abstract The increasing centrality of information in social life and the global expansion of digital communication networks have significantly transformed the nature of power struggles. While physical superiority and material capabilities were traditionally regarded as the primary determinants of conflict, the capacity to influence individuals’ perceptions, patterns of thought, and decision-making processes has become increasingly important. This transformation has given rise to the concept of cognitive warfare, which extends beyond information warfare by treating the human mind as a strategic domain of contestation. This study examines the conceptual relationship between information warfare and cognitive warfare and evaluates the transformation of contemporary understandings of power within a theoretical framework. It argues that information warfare is primarily structured around the production, circulation, and control of information, whereas cognitive warfare operates through the shaping of perceptions, the steering of meaning-making processes, and the influence exerted on human consciousness. Within this context, the cognitive domain is understood not merely as a space in which communication occurs but also as a strategic sphere through which power relations are reproduced and sustained. The study concludes that contemporary power struggles are increasingly shaped not by access to information alone but by the meanings attributed to it. Consequently, the cognitive dimension occupies an increasingly central position in understanding the dynamics of modern conflict and strategic competition.

Keywords
Cognitive Warfare, Information Warfare, Power, Perception, Consciousness, Meaning-Making