With the rapidly growing amounts of information, visualization is becoming increasingly important, as it allows
users to easily explore and understand large amounts of information. However the field of information visualiza-
tion currently lacks sufficient theoretical foundations. This article addresses foundational questions connecting
information visualization with computing and philosophy studies. The idea of multiscale information granula-
tion is described based on two fundamental concepts: information (structure) and computation (process). A new
information processing paradigm of Granular Computing enables stepwise increase of granulation/aggregation
of information on different levels of resolution, which makes possible dynamical viewing of data. Information
produced by Google Earth is an illustration of visualization based on clustering (granulation) of information on
a succession of layers. Depending on level, specific emergent properties become visible as a result of different
ways of aggregation of data/information. As information visualization ultimately aims at amplifying cognition, we
discuss the process of simulation and emulation in relation to cognition, and in particular visual cognition
