Cyberspace Odyssey

The emergence of the hominids, more than five million years ago, marked the start of the human odyssey through space and time. This book deals with the last stage of this fascinating journey: the exploration of cyberspace and cybertime. Through the rapid global implementation of information and communication technologies, a new realm for human experience and imagination has been disclosed. Reversely, these postgeographical and posthistorical technologies have started to colonize our bodies and minds. Taking Homer’s Odyssey and Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey as his starting point, the author investigates the ‘informatization of the worldview’, focusing on its implications for our culture–arts, religion, and science–and, ultimately, our form of life. Moving across a wide range of disciplines, varying from philosophical anthropology and palaeontology to information theory, and from astrophysics to literary, film and new media studies, the author discusses our ‘cyberspace odyssey’ from a reflective position beyond euphoria and nostalgia. His analysis is as profound as nuanced and deals with issues that will be high on the agenda for many decades to come. In 2003 a Dutch Edition of Cyberspace Odyssey received the Socrates Prize for the best philosophy book published in Dutch.

Can the Internet help to re-engage the public in politics? How are political parties using the Internet as a communication tool? Has politics changed in the information age? This book provides an assessment of how political parties are adapting to the rise of new information and communication technologies and what the consequences will be. It includes case studies of the US, the UK, Australia, Korea, Mexico, France, Romania and the Mediterranean region.

This publication, initiated by the Korean Society of Medical Informatics (KOSMI) and its Nursing Informatics Specialist Group, and the Special Interest Group in Nursing Informatics of the International Medical Informatics Association (IMIA-NI), is published for nurses and informatics experts working with informatics applications in nursing care, administration, research and education, bringing together the worlds of nursing informatics community. Korea is well known for having the highest level of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) accessibility in the world. Advances in ICT in Korea have lead Korean health care sectors to fully utilize the benefit of ICT for health care. The theme of the book, ‘Consumer-Centered Computer-Supported Care for Healthy People’, emphasizes the central role of the consumer and the function of information technology in health care. It reflects the major challenge in our time, which is developing and using information technology for the improvement of consumer oriented health care. "I would seriously recommend that this book – in text form – should be available in all nursing libraries as a resource for study and reference in the expanding area of nursing and health care.”--Paula M. Procter, Reader in Informatics and Telematics in Nursing, The University of Sheffield, United Kingdom.

Electronic Commerce and International Private Law examines the maximization of consumer protection via the consumer's jurisdiction and law. It discusses the proposition that a new connecting factor be used to improve the efficiency of juridical protection for consumers who contract with foreign sellers by electronic means and offers recommendations as to how to amend existing jurisdiction and choice of law rules to provide a basis for the consumer to sue in his own jurisdiction and for the law of the consumer's domicile to apply. The book will be a valuable resource for academics, students and practitioners working in the areas of international private law, electronic commerce law and consumer law.

Dive into the heart of the digital battleground with 'Code of Guardians: Mastering the Digital Realm,' a comprehensive guide that transcends the ordinary, propelling you into the elite ranks of cybersecurity expertise. From the intriguing origins of cyber threats to the cutting-edge technologies of tomorrow, this book navigates the intricate web of cybersecurity with unparalleled depth and clarity. Embark on an odyssey that begins by shaping your cyber mindset, embracing curiosity and continuous learning as your guiding stars. Master the fundamentals, from network security to the art of ethical hacking, arming yourself with the knowledge needed to thwart even the most sophisticated adversaries. In the corporate arena, learn the art of policy formulation, risk management, and incident response, transforming yourself from a technician into a strategic guardian of organizational security. Explore the future of cybersecurity, from the integration of artificial intelligence to the resilience against quantum threats, and discover the myriad career paths that await within this dynamic domain. With engaging narratives, real-world case studies, and hands-on exercises, 'Code of Guardians' transcends traditional guides, offering a transformative experience that empowers you not just as a guardian of the digital realm, but as a visionary shaping the future of cybersecurity. Equip yourself with the knowledge, skills, and mindset needed to thrive in the ever-evolving world of cybersecurity. Your journey to mastery begins here.

Why are there so many nature metaphors - clouds, rivers, streams, viruses, and bugs - in the language of the internet? Why do we adorn our screens with exotic images of forests, waterfalls, animals and beaches? In Technobiophilia: Nature and Cyberspace, Sue Thomas interrogates the prevalence online of nature-derived metaphors and imagery and comes to a surprising conclusion. The root of this trend, she believes, lies in biophilia, defined by biologist E.O. Wilson as 'the innate attraction to life and lifelike processes'. In this wide-ranging transdisciplinary study she explores the strong thread of biophilia which runs through our online lives, a phenomenon she calls 'technobiophilia', or, the 'innate attraction to life and lifelike processes as they appear in technology'. The restorative qualities of biophilia can alleviate mental fatigue and enhance our capacity for directed attention, soothing our connected minds and easing our relationship with computers. Technobiophilia: Nature and Cyberspace offers new insights on what is commonly known as 'work-life balance'. It explores ways to make our peace with technology-induced anxiety and achieve a 'tech-nature balance' through practical experiments designed to enhance our digital lives indoors, outdoors, and online. The book draws on a long history of literature on nature and technology and breaks new ground as the first to link the two. Its accessible style will attract the general reader, whilst the clear definition of key terms and concepts throughout should appeal to undergraduates and postgraduates of new media and communication studies, internet studies, environmental psychology, and human-computer interaction. www.technobiophilia.com

When the Nerds Go Marching In examines the increasing role and centrality of the internet within election campaigns across established democracies since the 1990s. Combining an extensive review of existing literature and comparative data sources with original survey evidence and web content analysis of digital campaign content across four nations--the UK, Australia, France, and the U.S.--the book maps the key shifts in the role and centrality of the internetin election campaigns over a twenty year period. Based on her findings, Gibson speculates on the future direction for political campaigns as they increasingly rely on digital tools and artificial intelligence for direction and decision-making during elections.