The virtual environments can be considered as one of the factors driving the transformation of mass media, associating new forms in network communication and making the information more accessible to any person that has access to the worldwide network of computers, promoting the production and dissemination of information in science and technology for teaching and research in all areas of knowledge and different sectors of society. In this sense, our book plans to explore the communication in cyber universe, as well, the influence of ICT and cyberculture to network society.
Table of Contents
0. Contextualization
1. The Cyber Era
2. The Collective Intelligence
3. Knowledge Society
4. Concept of do Cyberculture
5. A Post-Modern Culture
6. Educative Communication
7. The Culture of Connection
8. Anonymous and Wikileaks: Hackers or a New Cyberculture?
Research Objectives and Topics
This work explores the socio-technological evolution within the "Cyber Era," examining how information and communication technologies (ICTs) have transformed society, education, and human interaction. It seeks to define the complex, often contradictory nature of "cyberculture" and its influence on contemporary knowledge structures, political participation, and the potential for media manipulation in a network-driven world.
- The historical development of cybernetics and the transition to the network society.
- The conceptual framework of cyberculture and collective intelligence as defined by key theorists.
- The integration of ICTs into educational paradigms and the emergence of "Educommunication."
- The sociocultural implications of global connectivity, including its role in political movements like Anonymous and Wikileaks.
Excerpt from the Book
The Cyber Era
The term “Cybernetics” stems from the Greek “kubernetes” (steersman, that who steers, who controls, who governs), which was designed by the philosopher Plato. Historically, the conceptual prelude acknowledged by the international scientific community is credited to Norbert Wiener in his “Cybernetics: Or Control and Communication in the Animal and Machine”, published in 1948. However, Wiener (1984) recognizes that the word had already been used by the French physicist André-Marie Ampère (Cybernétique, 1834), in a Science Political context. Laclau and Luhmann (2006, p.52) are categorical in asserting that Wiener’s connotation was different from Ampère’s one, because he defines cybernetics as “the scientific study of control and communication in the animal and the machine”.
At this time, Cyber Era sprang up, thus becoming the parent of cyberspace, cyberschool, cyberdemocracy, cyberpunk, cyberpolitics, cyberlaw, cybercommunication, cybersociety…, which are, in Norman Lee Johnson’s perception, prodigal elements of symbiotic intelligence, and which are also so much discussed in the literary works of Douglas Hofstadter, Peter Russell, Jean Baudrillard, Gottfried Mayer-Kress, Howard Bloom, Steven Johnson, Pierre Lévy, as Collective Intelligence (synonym for cyberculture). Nevertheless, robots, computers and their electronic components preceded modern cybernetics, and they were responsible for the evolution from mass society (industrialized and mediatised) to the network society (communitarian and globalized).
Summary of Chapters
0. Contextualization: Discusses the transformation of mass media into network communication and the emergence of "Glocalization" in a society driven by digital connectivity.
1. The Cyber Era: Traces the historical and etymological roots of cybernetics from Plato to Norbert Wiener and the subsequent birth of the network society.
2. The Collective Intelligence: Explores Pierre Lévy’s theory on how digital environments facilitate a collective intelligence that shapes modern society.
3. Knowledge Society: Analyzes the transition from static web content to the interactive and collaborative "Millennial" era of information exchange.
4. Concept of do Cyberculture: Reviews diverse academic definitions of cyberculture, highlighting the challenge of establishing a universal concept for this multifaceted movement.
5. A Post-Modern Culture: Examines how the technological imaginary of cyberculture reflects post-modern societal shifts and the instability of identity.
6. Educative Communication: Focuses on the role of communication technologies in pedagogy, introducing the paradigm of "Educommunication."
7. The Culture of Connection: Investigates the global sociocultural shifts driven by digital technologies, leading to new forms of sociability and interaction.
8. Anonymous and Wikileaks: Hackers or a New Cyberculture?: Investigates whether hacktivist groups represent a new form of digital political participation or a manifestation of existing power dynamics.
Keywords
Cyberculture, Collective Intelligence, Network Society, ICT, Educommunication, Cyberspace, Globalisation, Digital Natives, Cybernetics, Media Manipulation, Anonymous, Wikileaks, Virtual Environments, Social Movements, Information Technology.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this work?
The work primarily addresses the impact of information and communication technologies (ICTs) on contemporary society, examining how they have fostered new forms of knowledge, communication, and cultural practice.
What are the central themes covered in the text?
Key themes include the historical evolution of the "Cyber Era," the concept of collective intelligence, the integration of technology in education, and the socio-political implications of digital movements.
What is the core research objective?
The core objective is to map out the historical and theoretical development of cyberculture and understand how digital tools act as mediators in the construction of modern social and educational realities.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The authors employ a qualitative, multidisciplinary literature review, synthesizing theories from sociology, philosophy, communication studies, and computer science to contextualize digital phenomena.
What does the main body of the text cover?
The main body systematically explores definitions of cyberculture, the role of media in shaping the "Network Society," the transition of educational systems toward "Educommunication," and the cultural impact of digital political activism.
How can one define the most important keywords for this research?
The keywords are centered around "Cyberculture" and "Collective Intelligence," as these terms unify the discussions on human interaction, technological advancement, and the transformation of traditional institutions.
How does the author define the "Educommunicative" paradigm?
The paradigm is defined as a set of actions designed to strengthen communicative ecosystems within educational spaces, utilizing ICTs not just as tools, but as a means to foster critical expression and collaborative knowledge production.
What perspective does the book offer on groups like Anonymous?
The book views groups like Anonymous and Wikileaks as complex, contradictory movements that utilize conventional hacking tools to challenge power structures and organize communities in the digital realm.
- Quote paper
- Marcelo Mendonça Teixeira (Author), Tiago Alessandro Espínola Ferreira (Author), 2013, The Communication Model of Virtual Universe, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/266558
