Virtuality And Humanity

Download Virtuality And Humanity full books in PDF, epub, and Kindle. Read online Virtuality And Humanity ebook anywhere anytime directly on your device. Fast Download speed and no annoying ads. We cannot guarantee that every ebooks is available!

Virtuality and Humanity

Author : Sam N. Lehman-Wilzig
Publisher : Springer Nature
ISBN 13 : 9811665265
Total Pages : 347 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (116 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Virtuality and Humanity by : Sam N. Lehman-Wilzig

Download or read book Virtuality and Humanity written by Sam N. Lehman-Wilzig and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2022-01-01 with total page 347 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is a pioneering study of virtuality through human history: ancient-to-modern evolution and recent expansion; expression in many fields (chapters on Religion; Philosophy, Math, Physics; Literature and the Arts; Economics; Nationhood, Government and War; Communication); psychological and social reasons for its universality; inter-relationship with "reality." The book's thesis: virtuality was always an integral part of humanity in many areas of life, generally expanding over the ages. The reasons: 1- brain psychology; 2- virtuality's six functions — escape from boredom to relieving existential dread. Other questions addressed: How will future neuroscience, biotech and "compunications" affect virtuality? Can/should there be limits to human virtualizing?

Human Virtuality and Digital Life

Author : Richard Frankel
Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 1351379712
Total Pages : 191 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (513 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Human Virtuality and Digital Life by : Richard Frankel

Download or read book Human Virtuality and Digital Life written by Richard Frankel and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2021-08-12 with total page 191 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Winner of the Gradiva® Best Book Award 2022, and the Courage to Dream Book Prize 2023 from the Academy of the American Psychoanalytic Association! This book is a psychoanalytic and philosophical exploration of how the digital is transforming our perception of the world and our understanding of ourselves. Drawing on examples from everyday life, myth, and popular culture, this book argues that virtual reality is only the latest instantiation of the phenomenon of the virtual, which is intrinsic to human being. It illuminates what is at stake in our understanding of the relationship between the virtual and the real, showing how our present technologies both enhance and diminish our psychological lives. The authors claim that technology is a pharmakon - at the same time both a remedy and a poison - and in their writing exemplify a method that overcomes the polarization that compels us to regard it either as a liberating force or a dangerous threat in human life. The digital revolution challenges us to reckon with the implications of what is being called our posthuman condition, leaving behind our modern conception of the world as constituted by atemporal essences and reconceiving it instead as one of processes and change. The book’s postscript considers the sudden plunge into the virtual effected by the 2020 global pandemic. Accessible and wide-reaching, this book will appeal not only to psychotherapists, psychoanalysts, and philosophers, but anyone interested in the ways virtuality and the digital are transforming our contemporary lives.

Handbook of Virtual Humans

Author : Nadia Magnenat-Thalmann
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
ISBN 13 : 0470023171
Total Pages : 468 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (7 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Handbook of Virtual Humans by : Nadia Magnenat-Thalmann

Download or read book Handbook of Virtual Humans written by Nadia Magnenat-Thalmann and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2005-10-31 with total page 468 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Virtual Humans are becoming more and more popular and used in many applications such as the entertainment industry (in both film and games) and medical applications. This comprehensive book covers all areas of this growing industry including face and body motion, body modelling, hair simulation, expressive speech simulation and facial communication, interaction with 3D objects, rendering skin and clothes and the standards for Virtual Humans. Written by a team of current and former researchers at MIRALab, University of Geneva or VRlab, EPFL, this book is the definitive guide to the area. Explains the concept of avatars and autonomous virtual actors and the main techniques to create and animate them (body and face). Presents the concepts of behavioural animation, crowd simulation, intercommunication between virtual humans, and interaction between real humans and autonomous virtual humans Addresses the advanced topics of hair representation and cloth animation with applications in fashion design Discusses the standards for Virtual Humans, such as MPEG-4 Face Animation and MPEG-4 Body Animation.

How We Became Posthuman

Author : N. Katherine Hayles
Publisher : University of Chicago Press
ISBN 13 : 0226321398
Total Pages : 364 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (263 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis How We Became Posthuman by : N. Katherine Hayles

Download or read book How We Became Posthuman written by N. Katherine Hayles and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2008-05-15 with total page 364 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this age of DNA computers and artificial intelligence, information is becoming disembodied even as the "bodies" that once carried it vanish into virtuality. While some marvel at these changes, envisioning consciousness downloaded into a computer or humans "beamed" Star Trek-style, others view them with horror, seeing monsters brooding in the machines. In How We Became Posthuman, N. Katherine Hayles separates hype from fact, investigating the fate of embodiment in an information age. Hayles relates three interwoven stories: how information lost its body, that is, how it came to be conceptualized as an entity separate from the material forms that carry it; the cultural and technological construction of the cyborg; and the dismantling of the liberal humanist "subject" in cybernetic discourse, along with the emergence of the "posthuman." Ranging widely across the history of technology, cultural studies, and literary criticism, Hayles shows what had to be erased, forgotten, and elided to conceive of information as a disembodied entity. Thus she moves from the post-World War II Macy Conferences on cybernetics to the 1952 novel Limbo by cybernetics aficionado Bernard Wolfe; from the concept of self-making to Philip K. Dick's literary explorations of hallucination and reality; and from artificial life to postmodern novels exploring the implications of seeing humans as cybernetic systems. Although becoming posthuman can be nightmarish, Hayles shows how it can also be liberating. From the birth of cybernetics to artificial life, How We Became Posthuman provides an indispensable account of how we arrived in our virtual age, and of where we might go from here.

Human Walking in Virtual Environments

Author : Frank Steinicke
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 1441984321
Total Pages : 405 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (419 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Human Walking in Virtual Environments by : Frank Steinicke

Download or read book Human Walking in Virtual Environments written by Frank Steinicke and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-05-15 with total page 405 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book presents a survey of past and recent developments on human walking in virtual environments with an emphasis on human self-motion perception, the multisensory nature of experiences of walking, conceptual design approaches, current technologies, and applications. The use of Virtual Reality and movement simulation systems is becoming increasingly popular and more accessible to a wide variety of research fields and applications. While, in the past, simulation technologies have focused on developing realistic, interactive visual environments, it is becoming increasingly obvious that our everyday interactions are highly multisensory. Therefore, investigators are beginning to understand the critical importance of developing and validating locomotor interfaces that can allow for realistic, natural behaviours. The book aims to present an overview of what is currently understood about human perception and performance when moving in virtual environments and to situate it relative to the broader scientific and engineering literature on human locomotion and locomotion interfaces. The contents include scientific background and recent empirical findings related to biomechanics, self-motion perception, and physical interactions. The book also discusses conceptual approaches to multimodal sensing, display systems, and interaction for walking in real and virtual environments. Finally, it will present current and emerging applications in areas such as gait and posture rehabilitation, gaming, sports, and architectural design.

Reality+: Virtual Worlds and the Problems of Philosophy

Author : David J. Chalmers
Publisher : W. W. Norton & Company
ISBN 13 : 0393635813
Total Pages : 544 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (936 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Reality+: Virtual Worlds and the Problems of Philosophy by : David J. Chalmers

Download or read book Reality+: Virtual Worlds and the Problems of Philosophy written by David J. Chalmers and published by W. W. Norton & Company. This book was released on 2022-01-25 with total page 544 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A leading philosopher takes a mind-bending journey through virtual worlds, illuminating the nature of reality and our place within it. Virtual reality is genuine reality; that’s the central thesis of Reality+. In a highly original work of “technophilosophy,” David J. Chalmers gives a compelling analysis of our technological future. He argues that virtual worlds are not second-class worlds, and that we can live a meaningful life in virtual reality. We may even be in a virtual world already. Along the way, Chalmers conducts a grand tour of big ideas in philosophy and science. He uses virtual reality technology to offer a new perspective on long-established philosophical questions. How do we know that there’s an external world? Is there a god? What is the nature of reality? What’s the relation between mind and body? How can we lead a good life? All of these questions are illuminated or transformed by Chalmers’ mind-bending analysis. Studded with illustrations that bring philosophical issues to life, Reality+ is a major statement that will shape discussion of philosophy, science, and technology for years to come.

Virtual Society

Author : Herman Narula
Publisher : Currency
ISBN 13 : 0593239970
Total Pages : 289 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (932 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Virtual Society by : Herman Narula

Download or read book Virtual Society written by Herman Narula and published by Currency. This book was released on 2022-10-11 with total page 289 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “A fascinating, provocative case that the metaverse will not merely transform our virtual experience—it may actually enrich the quality of our lives” (Adam Grant)—from the visionary co-founder of one of today’s most innovative technology companies “This important book offers a highly persuasive argument that the metaverse, a new kind of virtual world, marks a profound next stage in this long human quest for fulfillment through creation.”—Chris Anderson, head of TED The concept of “the metaverse” has exploded in the public consciousness, but its contours remain elusive. Is it merely an immersive virtual reality playground, one that Facebook and other platforms will angle to control? Is it simply the next generation of massive multiplayer online games? Or is it something more revolutionary? As pioneering technologist Herman Narula shows, the metaverse is the latest manifestation of an ancient human tendency: the act of worldbuilding. From the Egyptians, whose conception of death inspired them to build the pyramids, to modern-day sports fans, whose passion for a game inspires extreme behavior, humans have long sought to supplement their day-to-day lives with a rich diversity of alternative experiences. Rooting his vision in history and psychology, Narula argues that humans’ intrinsic need for autonomy, accomplishment, and connection can best be met in virtual “worlds of ideas,” where users have the chance to create and exchange meaning and value. The metaverse is both the growing set of fulfilling digital experiences—ranging from advanced gaming to concerts and other entertainment events and even to virtual employment—and the empowering framework that allows these spaces to become “networks of useful meaning.” Bloomberg Intelligence recently predicted that the metaverse will become an $800 billon industry by 2024. But its implications, argues Narula, will lead to far more awe-inspiring possibilities than a spigot of cash. The arrival of the metaverse marks the beginning of a new age of exploration—not outward, but inward—with the potential to reshape society and open the door to a new understanding of the human species and its capabilities. Rigorously researched and passionately argued, Virtual Society is a provocative and essential guide for anyone who wants to go beyond superficial headlines to understand the true contours and potential of our virtual future.

Coming of Age in Second Life

Author : Tom Boellstorff
Publisher : Princeton University Press
ISBN 13 : 0691168342
Total Pages : 348 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (911 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Coming of Age in Second Life by : Tom Boellstorff

Download or read book Coming of Age in Second Life written by Tom Boellstorff and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2015-08-25 with total page 348 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Millions of people around the world today spend portions of their lives in online virtual worlds. Second Life is one of the largest of these virtual worlds. The residents of Second Life create communities, buy property and build homes, go to concerts, meet in bars, attend weddings and religious services, buy and sell virtual goods and services, find friendship, fall in love--the possibilities are endless, and all encountered through a computer screen. At the time of its initial publication in 2008, Coming of Age in Second Life was the first book of anthropology to examine this thriving alternate universe. Tom Boellstorff conducted more than two years of fieldwork in Second Life, living among and observing its residents in exactly the same way anthropologists traditionally have done to learn about cultures and social groups in the so-called real world. He conducted his research as the avatar "Tom Bukowski," and applied the rigorous methods of anthropology to study many facets of this new frontier of human life, including issues of gender, race, sex, money, conflict and antisocial behavior, the construction of place and time, and the interplay of self and group. Coming of Age in Second Life shows how virtual worlds can change ideas about identity and society. Bringing anthropology into territory never before studied, this book demonstrates that in some ways humans have always been virtual, and that virtual worlds in all their rich complexity build upon a human capacity for culture that is as old as humanity itself. Now with a new preface in which the author places his book in light of the most recent transformations in online culture, Coming of Age in Second Life remains the classic ethnography of virtual worlds.

The Oxford Handbook of Virtuality

Author : Mark Grimshaw
Publisher : Oxford Handbooks
ISBN 13 : 0199826161
Total Pages : 794 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (998 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis The Oxford Handbook of Virtuality by : Mark Grimshaw

Download or read book The Oxford Handbook of Virtuality written by Mark Grimshaw and published by Oxford Handbooks. This book was released on 2014-02 with total page 794 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The book is a compendium of thinking on virtuality and its relationship to reality from the perspective of a variety of philosophical and applied fields of study. Topics covered include presence, immersion, emotion, ethics, utopias and dystopias, image, sound, literature, AI, law, economics, medical and military applications, religion, and sex.

The VR Book

Author : Jason Jerald
Publisher : Morgan & Claypool
ISBN 13 : 1970001135
Total Pages : 637 pages
Book Rating : 4.9/5 (7 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis The VR Book by : Jason Jerald

Download or read book The VR Book written by Jason Jerald and published by Morgan & Claypool. This book was released on 2015-09-01 with total page 637 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is a strong foundation of human-centric virtual reality design for anyone and everyone involved in creating VR experiences. Without a clear understanding of the human side of virtual reality (VR), the experience will always fail. The VR Book bridges this gap by focusing on human-centered design. Creating compelling VR applications is an incredibly complex challenge. When done well, these experiences can be brilliant and pleasurable, but when done badly, they can result in frustration and sickness. Whereas limitations of technology can cause bad VR execution, problems are oftentimes caused by a lack of understanding human perception, interaction, design principles, and real users. This book focuses on the human elements of VR, such as how users perceive and intuitively interact with various forms of reality, causes of VR sickness, creating useful and pleasing content, and how to design and iterate upon effective VR applications. This book is not just for VR designers, it is for managers, programmers, artists, psychologists, engineers, students, educators, and user experience professionals. It is for the entire VR team, as everyone contributing should understand at least the basics of the many aspects of VR design. The industry is rapidly evolving, and The VR Book stresses the importance of building prototypes, gathering feedback, and using adjustable processes to efficiently iterate towards success. It contains extensive details on the most important aspects of VR, more than 600 applicable guidelines, and over 300 additional references.

Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality

Author : M. Claudia tom Dieck
Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 3030062465
Total Pages : 328 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (3 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality by : M. Claudia tom Dieck

Download or read book Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality written by M. Claudia tom Dieck and published by Springer. This book was released on 2019-02-19 with total page 328 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book presents a collection of the latest research in the area of immersive technologies, presented at the International Augmented and Virtual Reality Conference 2018 in Manchester, UK, and showcases how augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are transforming the business landscape. Innovations in this field are seen as providing opportunities for businesses to offer their customers unique services and experiences. The papers gathered here advance the state of the art in AR/VR technologies and their applications in various industries such as healthcare, tourism, hospitality, events, fashion, entertainment, retail, education and gaming. The volume collects contributions by prominent computer and social sciences experts from around the globe. Addressing the most significant topics in the field of augmented and virtual reality and sharing the latest findings, it will be of interest to academics and practitioners alike.

Understanding Virtual Reality

Author : William R. Sherman
Publisher : Morgan Kaufmann
ISBN 13 : 012801038X
Total Pages : 940 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (28 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Understanding Virtual Reality by : William R. Sherman

Download or read book Understanding Virtual Reality written by William R. Sherman and published by Morgan Kaufmann. This book was released on 2018-11-08 with total page 940 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Understanding Virtual Reality: Interface, Application, and Design, Second Edition arrives at a time when the technologies behind virtual reality have advanced dramatically. The book helps users take advantage of the ways they can identify and prepare for the applications of VR in their field. By approaching VR as a communications medium, the authors have created a resource that will remain relevant even as underlying technologies evolve. Included are a history of VR, systems currently in use, the application of VR, and the many issues that arise in application design and implementation, including hardware requirements, system integration, interaction techniques and usability. - Features substantive, illuminating coverage designed for technical or business readers and the classroom - Examines VR's constituent technologies, drawn from visualization, representation, graphics, human-computer interaction and other fields - Provides (via a companion website) additional case studies, tutorials, instructional materials, and a link to an open-source VR programming system - Includes updated perception material and new sections on game engines, optical tracking, VR visual interface software, and a new glossary with pictures

Virtual Reality

Author : Howard Rheingold
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 420 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (97 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Virtual Reality by : Howard Rheingold

Download or read book Virtual Reality written by Howard Rheingold and published by . This book was released on 1992-08-15 with total page 420 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Breaking the reality barrier ; the reality-industrial complex ; virtual reality and the future.

Dawn of the New Everything

Author : Jaron Lanier
Publisher : Henry Holt
ISBN 13 : 1627794093
Total Pages : 369 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (277 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Dawn of the New Everything by : Jaron Lanier

Download or read book Dawn of the New Everything written by Jaron Lanier and published by Henry Holt. This book was released on 2017-11-21 with total page 369 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Microsoft interdisciplinary scientist largely credited with popularizing virtual reality reflects on his lifelong relationship with technology, showing VR's ability to illuminate and amplify our understanding of our species and how the brain and body connect to the world. By the author of You Are Not a Gadget. --Publisher.

Inwardness

Author : Jonardon Ganeri
Publisher : Columbia University Press
ISBN 13 : 023154975X
Total Pages : 90 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (315 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Inwardness by : Jonardon Ganeri

Download or read book Inwardness written by Jonardon Ganeri and published by Columbia University Press. This book was released on 2021-08-10 with total page 90 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Where do we look when we look inward? In what sort of space does our inner life take place? Augustine said that to turn inward is to find oneself in a library of memories, while the Indian Buddhist tradition holds that we are self-illuminating beings casting light onto a world of shadows. And a disquieting set of dissenters has claimed that inwardness is merely an illusion—or, worse, a deceit. Jonardon Ganeri explores philosophical reflections from many of the world’s intellectual cultures, ancient and modern, on how each of us inhabits an inner world. In brief and lively chapters, he ranges across an unexpected assortment of diverse thinkers: Buddhist, Hindu, Islamic, Chinese, and Western philosophy and literature from the Upaniṣads, Socrates, and Avicenna to Borges, Simone Weil, and Rashōmon. Ganeri examines the various metaphors that have been employed to explain interiority—shadows and mirrors, masks and disguises, rooms and enclosed spaces—as well as the interfaces and boundaries between inner and outer worlds. Written in a cosmopolitan spirit, this book is a thought-provoking consideration of the value—or peril—of turning one’s gaze inward for all readers who have sought to map the geography of the mind.

Natural Language Processing: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools, and Applications

Author : Management Association, Information Resources
Publisher : IGI Global
ISBN 13 : 1799809528
Total Pages : 1704 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (998 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Natural Language Processing: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools, and Applications by : Management Association, Information Resources

Download or read book Natural Language Processing: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools, and Applications written by Management Association, Information Resources and published by IGI Global. This book was released on 2019-11-01 with total page 1704 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As technology continues to become more sophisticated, a computer’s ability to understand, interpret, and manipulate natural language is also accelerating. Persistent research in the field of natural language processing enables an understanding of the world around us, in addition to opportunities for manmade computing to mirror natural language processes that have existed for centuries. Natural Language Processing: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools, and Applications is a vital reference source on the latest concepts, processes, and techniques for communication between computers and humans. Highlighting a range of topics such as machine learning, computational linguistics, and semantic analysis, this multi-volume book is ideally designed for computer engineers, computer and software developers, IT professionals, academicians, researchers, and upper-level students seeking current research on the latest trends in the field of natural language processing.

Becoming Virtual

Author : Pierre Levy
Publisher : Da Capo Press, Incorporated
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 216 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (91 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Becoming Virtual by : Pierre Levy

Download or read book Becoming Virtual written by Pierre Levy and published by Da Capo Press, Incorporated. This book was released on 1998-03-21 with total page 216 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Examining the cultural and social impact of new digital technologies, Levy tackles the concept of "the virtual," clearly defining it alongside "the real," "the actual," and "the possible." He shows how the body, the text, and the economy, are made virtual. He then reveals how the Internet and web sites are now transforming the virtual into a "collective intelligence" linked to digital communication. Though Levy agrees with many contemporary philosophers of science that these changes are producing a cultural revolution, he is uniquely optimistic. Allaying the fears of those who think technology will dehumanize society, he demonstrates how the virtual has always been an enduring component of the human mind.